


A Battle of Souls and Darkness!

by animefan021513



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Best Friends, Brotherly Bonding, Caring E. Aster Bunnymund, Childhood Memories, E. Aster Bunnymund Feels, Family, Fearlings, Fearlings (Guardians of Childhood), Friendship, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood), Hurt/Comfort, Memories, Mother-Son Relationship, Names, POV E. Aster Bunnymund, Pitch Black (Guardians of Childhood) Has Feelings, Pooka E. Aster Bunnymund, Protective E. Aster Bunnymund, Recovered Memories, Repressed Memories, Souls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 04:46:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 61,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17953859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animefan021513/pseuds/animefan021513
Summary: Bunny notices that something is very wrong with Jack after they get back from defeating Pitch. When he takes him to the Warren to try and help him, what else might he discover about the new guardian? Why does it seem like he's turning human? Why is his body attacking him from the inside out? How is Mother Nature involved with Jack's three hundred years as a spirit? What results in Pitch coming back so soon after his defeat?  What's this about entrusting your true name to someone? Who was Jack Frost before he was even Jackson Overland Frost? This is told in Bunny's perspective and how he's going through the worst ride of an emotional roller coaster he's ever been on. What will he discover about his friend that will flip his entire world upside down? Read and Find out!





	1. Not Looking Too Good

"I'm surprised at you, Bunny. You managed not to whine on sleigh." North quipped as the sleigh finally came to a halt. We had just gotten back after defeating Pitch and he's already makin' wise cracks at me. "Really, North? I've ridden in it a couple times before now." I stated as I hopped out of the demonic flyin' machine.

"I still say my tunnels are safer."

"Is matter of opinion, No?" North asked. "Well, no matter old friend. Now, we must celebrate!"

"I agree! Something for Jack! What do ya say Ja..." Tooth's words died off as she noticed Jack was asleep with a pained look. "Um...Sandy?" Sandy shared Tooth's worried expression and gently floated some sand over to Jack. It went into his head and then gracefully floated out. Sandy looked at her and shook his head with a shrug. Meanwhile, I noticed that he was clutchin' his abdomen.

"I don't think it's nightmares, Tooth. I think he's actually in pain." I stated as I stepped closer. Jack was the only one left in the sleigh.

"Nonsense! He fought perfectly well against Pitch and he was fine when we left." North insisted. I just shook my head at him and looked back at Jack who was startin' to sweat.

"North, you should know just as well as I do what adrenaline caused by pain can do to ya. Both while under the effects and after...I think we're seein' the after...and considerin' we don't know what could've caused the injury or where it is exactly..."

"We don't know how bad it will get." North finished with wide and worried eyes. "To the infirmary!"

"Actually...I have some healin' plants in the warren, and considerin' we don't know what exactly is doin' this to him or how it will fully affect him when he wakes up...it might be best if he isn't surrounded by noise, yetis, jingling elves, or hospital looking stuff."

North's eyes went sympathetic and from what it seemed, slightly disappointed. Then, they suddenly turned curious. "Why would you want to heal him? He caused great deal of trouble for you in the past, yeah?"

"Yeah...he has. However, despite how we all treated him when we lost Easter...How I treated him...he still got Jamie to believe in me, resulting in all of our necks gettin' saved and even bringin' Sandy back. Figure it's the least I could do...as a sort of thank you."

"You have debt that needs repaying." North said as he nodded his head. "We all do, but you were the one he got Jamie to believe in." He looked at me for a contemplative minute before lettin' out a sigh. "You will let us know how he is when he wakes, yes?"

"Of course, but um...this might be the one and only time you ever hear me say this...but can I borrow a snow globe?"

"Of course old friend. It is safer than you think." He answered as he took out a globe from his coat and handed it to me.

"Sometimes I wonder..." I said as I took it. "Take me to the warren." I told the magical orb and tossed it against a wall before carefully pickin' up Jack and his staff. "Crikey he's..."

"Cold? We know...that is nothing to be alarmed by Bunny it's..." North trailed off but I quickly shook my head as I looked at Jack in my arms.

"No...he's burnin' up, mate, and he's way too light..."

"Then I suggest you get to work, Bunny." North stated as he gave me a reassurin' smile.

"Right!" I gave him a quick nod before walkin' through the portal. Thankfully, it took me and Jack without any problems, but now I had to think of where exactly I was gonna put Jack. As I was walkin' to my personal home which was quite a ways from the entrance, I felt Jack begin to tense up in my arms. I looked down and his brow was furrowed and sweaty, and there was something strange in his hair. "Hold on, mate. You're gonna be alright." I rushed to my home as fast as I could. Once I stopped in front of it, I was glad to see that Pitch's nightmares hadn't reached it. Not that they would know where to look. My home is actually quite hidden into the larger hills. The door was discreet, lookin' like one of the sentries behind a large arch. To anyone else it would look like one of my sentries keepin' guard.

Once I finally made it up to the door, I placed my paw in the slot that is shaped exactly like my paw, and it opened freely for me. I walked inside, and breathed in the smell of home. It smelled of lavender and lilac. My home is fairly large with tunnels of its own leadin' to various rooms, but my main problem right now was gettin' Jack into one of them. I had a few guest rooms that were originally for guests an extremely long time ago, and I hadn't been in them since, and since Jack is in the condition he's in, I decided to go down the tunnel that was closest to the one that led to my room, which also happened to be next to the library, which could rival North's if I do say so myself.

It wasn't easy gettin' him through the tunnel without him squirmin' in pain, but it was either him on my back and chancin' him fallin' off, or what I did do, which was carry him as I slid down. The door to his room is similar to the front door, except I don't need my paw. I pushed opened the door, and noticed with great surprise that despite all the centuries this room hadn't been used, it hadn't gained a spec of dust. The floor was made of fresh grass that grew naturally with some flowers poking here and there. There were several books in their own book shelf. The large dresser was still contently standin' on the right side of the room. The two nightstands that stood on either side of the queen sized bed both held a lamp in the shape of a blue bonnet. The quilt seemed as if it had just come off of the drying post. "Alright, Jacky boy..." I said to him as I carefully set him down onto the bed. Once I set him down he started clutchin' at his hoodie and I noticed he was sweatin' underneath it as well. "Hold on, Frostbite." I said as I carefully tugged off the hoodie and the shirt that was frozen to it.

Once it was finally off, he seemed to stop strugglin' as much. I set his staff against one of the nightstands and checked for any wounds, which unfortunately, I didn't have to look very far. It seemed like at some point he may have hurt his ribs somehow. It was inflamed on the right side. "You're lucky I know a bit of healing magic." I walked into the bathroom that was connected to his room and pulled out one of the potions I had made for emergencies from the spare medicine cabinet. "You're not gonna like the taste of it, mate, but it'll go straight to the problem and I can fix it from there." I pinched his nose so he would be forced to open his mouth, and I poured the liquid down. Once I was sure he swallowed at least most of it, I set the vial down on the left nightstand and held my paws over his wound. Once I felt the potion's own powers underneath my paws I focused on affects it should have on his body. Unfortunately, it became very painful for Jack very quickly. My ears laid flat against my head as I winced at the painful cries he was makin'. It only took about five minutes for it to fix whatever was wrong with his ribs, but it felt more like five hours.

He seemed to calm some, but whatever was causin' him to sweat was still happening, and he still wore a face of pain. Upon further inspection I quickly noticed that the somethin' strange that I noticed in his hair, was in fact his hair. It was small maple brown tufts seepin' through snow white hair. "Jacky, what's happening to you, mate...?" I asked with wide eyes, knowin' he wouldn't answer. "Ngh..."

"Jack?" I asked quickly as it seemed he was startin' to wake up.

"S...Sarah..."

"Sarah?" I questioned with shocked eyes. "You got a sheila, mate?" I had hoped he was wakin' up, but now he was havin' fever dreams, and I had never heard of him mentioning a Sarah person nor have I seen him hangin' out with many women other than Tooth, and that was only just recently. I had known him for almost a century now, and granted, not a lot of those memories are pleasant ones, but he didn't have the look of someone in a relationship, and whether you were pissed off or completely depressed, there was always a small glint in the eyes that said you had someone you could think about.

Once he seemed to fall further into sleep, I chanced a glance at his staff. "Seems like it's only frosted when ya hold it, eh Frostbite?" I chuckled to myself as I grabbed the staff. "Maybe if ya hold it..." I placed it in the hand he usually held it with, and quickly noticed it wasn't frostin' like it usually did. "Jack?" I asked as somethin' uneasy started to make its way into my chest. His breathin' had slowed, but he was still breathing'. I held my ear against his chest to see how fast or slow his heart was beatin' and...it wasn't beatin' at all. I stood up, alarmed at the fact that he had no heartbeat, and checked again to see if I was seein' things, but I wasn't. His pale moon chest was still risin' and fallin'. "I got to get to North! Ya better hold on, Frostbite!" I tapped the ground twice and made my way straight into North's office. Once I was in, I was glad that he was at his desk.

"North...we got a problem, mate." At my words his eyes filled with worry and concern as he stood from his chair immediately.

"Is it Jack? What is wrong, Bunny?"

"Jack he...he doesn't have a heartbeat, North!"

"No..." He whispered out as he staggered back into his chair. "You said...you said you could heal him!" He shouted at me with pure pain in his eyes.

"I...I know what I said..." I breathed out, still out of breath from the lengthy tunnel journey. "He's still breathin' though..."

"He what? That's not possible, Bunny."

"I know, but I checked twice. Also...his hair is changing color. It's going from his usual snow white to a maple brown."

"What?" He asked me with widened eyes.

"Yeah, ya heard me...look, I could really use a second pair of eyes, just don't mess up anythin' alright...oh...and there's one more thing...Usually when he holds his staff it frosts wherever he touches it...but I put it in his hand, and not even so much as a snowflake appeared on the it."

North's eyes widened considerably if that was even possible and he immediately grabbed a snow globe. "Bunny's Warren!" He threw it against the wall and grabbed me like I was a damn doll as he dragged me threw the portal. "Bunny, where is he?" He demanded, and honestly, I can't remember the last time I had seen him this worried.

"He's...he's in my home. He has his own room for right now."

"Lead the way, Bunny. I need to see him." I did as he asked, and led him directly to Jack's room. I pushed the door open and noticed that Jack was exactly as I left, except the staff wasn't in his hands. "Hold on...that's not right...I put the staff in his hands, but I didn't take it from him."

"Perhaps he woke up briefly?"

"I don't know, North. Can you..." I twirled my paw towards Jack, hintin' that I wanted him to confirm what I had heard, or well...what I hadn't heard. North nodded at me and slowly as he approached Jack, and he placed his own ear against his chest. He closed his eyes, seemingly trying to focus, when suddenly they shot wide.

"You are right, Bunny...he has no heartbeat, but I can hear him breathing. This is not possible."

"Look! More of his hair is changing to a maple color." North looked to Jack's hair and cautiously ran his hand through the mixed colored tufts of hair in a fatherly manner, his frown deepening.

"I'm not entirely sure...but I believe he is turning into a human...however...he has no heart beat..."

"Wait...are you sayin' he's dying?" I questioned as my whole body suddenly went colder than Jack's snow at the possibility. We had just started to get along, and surely Manny hadn't meant for him to become a guardian only to have him die right after takin' the oath.

"I am not entirely sure...but...is possibility. We should not move him."

"Could this have happened while he wasn't with us?"

"That is highly possible. He wasn't like this when he joined us. Which means this may be Pitch's doing. We need to somehow figure out what happened."

"What about Tooth?" I suggested quickly. "She's the guardian of memories and Jack is stuck as a child since Manny decided to make him a winter spirit."

"That is very good idea, Bunny. I will be right back."


	2. Looking Through Memories

North returned with a worried tooth into Jack's room through a magical portal, and she looked back and forth at me sittin' on the side of Jack's bed, and Jack who was still mumblin' in his fever dreams about some girl named Sarah. Tooth gasped as she held her hands to her mouth. "Bunny...what..."

"North, you didn't tell her?"

"I told her..."

"But he didn't say anything about fever dreams."

"They started back up when he left. Tooth...did you bring his box?"

"I did...I've also made it to where three specific memories will appear."

"What would those be?" I asked with worried curiosity.

"Well...I figure since North says he thinks Jack is turning into a human, perhaps it would be a good idea to see what happened that led up to Manny changing him into a winter spirit. The other two are the memories of Jack gone when he dropped Sophie off and...After we lost Easter..."

"Oh..." I replied simply. I looked at Jack whose breathing started quickenin' but not in a good way. "We better hurry, Tooth."

"Right...this may feel a bit strange...but we all have to place at least one finger on the box, including Jack, in order for us to view the memories I have set to appear. It will appear on the wall like a...like a movie almost."

"Right...I've heard of those. Okay then." I stated as I placed one finger of my paw in the center. Tooth did the same holdin' Jack's finger as well, followed by North. Once we were all touchin' it, it started to glow, and I took my paw away. I felt guilty about it immediately, but it was quickly swayed by the fact that it was still activating. It started shinnin' onto the wall that held no decorations or furniture and it was as clear as if we were watching it happen ourselves through an open window. There were a bunch of jumbled memories in between and I heard Tooth apologizing that she couldn't leave some of them out, and that she didn't know why, but I couldn't care less, because I was actually witnessin' what Jack was like before his powers, and it had me in awe at the fact that nothin' much had really changed. The new facts I had to face was his love for Easter, the way he looked after the children, his love for his family and especially his little sister, then...it changed to a vision of oak brown eyes focusing on someone on the ice in front of him. This particular vision was much slower and seemed to be the memory that Tooth wanted to focus on as I heard her sigh in relief just then, but all relief was quickly washed away as we realized who and what Jack was looking at.

_"It's okay, It's okay...Don't look down...just look at me." We watched as Jack put his hand over his racing heart._

_"Jack...I'm scared..." His sister said desperately as the ice began to snap and crack_

_"I...I know...I know..." He looked down as the ice beneath him began to crack as well. "...But you're going to be alright. You’re not gonna fall in. Uh...We're gonna have a little fun instead!" He said as reassuringly as possible, and I couldn't help the grin that appeared on my face. 'That's definitely Jack.' "_

_No we're not!" She shouted at him_

_"Would I trick you?" He asked as he tried to inch forward as gently as he could._

_"Yes! You always play tricks!"_

_"Well...Alright...well...Well not this time. I promise...I promise you're gonna be...you're gonna be fine. You have to believe in me..." My eyes widened considerably as I heard him say those words, and my arms which were crossed for some reason, had fallen to my sides. "You wanna play a game?" Jack asked as he tried to stand up straighter. "We're gonna play hopscotch. Like we play everyday. I-It's as easy as uh...one..." He winced as the ice cracked some more but he smiled at his sister before her hopes of being okay could be dashed, but then he felt himself lose his balance. "Whoa...Two..." He said as he gently gained his gracefulness once more. "THREE!" He shouted happily as he took a big side step to his staff. 'So Jack had always had that staff...' I thought to myself. "Alright...now it's your turn. One..." He heard his sister gasp as she slid her foot forward. "That's it that's it...Two..." The ice began to crack more, and he knew she was about to fall in, so he quickly whispered, "Three." Then, yanked her with the crook of his staff as he took her place. When he saw how far away she was and that she was safe, he couldn't help the relieved laugh that escaped him. 'Well look at Jack. Born to be a guardian.' I thought with a proud smile until it was quickly wiped off my face with the sound of ice crackin' and Jack fallin' through the ice._

_"JACK!" His sister shouted. We watched helplessly as Jack's eyes started to drift close with as his heart was clearly beating loud and frantic in the memory, the air started to leave his lungs, and eventually, as he landed to the bottom of the pond, his heart stopped. Night shifted quickly, and Manny's familiar moon beams shined on Jack at the bottom of the pond, and we watched as his maple hair changed into snowy white. Manny was pullin' him out of the pond and Jack took a deep breath while showin' his ice blue eyes. Manny set him down and told him his name, but nothin' else. Not what he was, not what he was supposed to do, not his duties, not how to get himself noticed, not the warnings every spirit usually received...nothin', and frankly it infuriated me. Then, I heard him laugh as he almost slipped on the ice, I noticed that he didn't seem to be using his powers yet. Then, his foot tapped onto the staff and it frosted in the middle. He picked it up to inspect it, and more frost shot out from the bottom of it. I watched with fascination as Jack had gently tapped a tree and then another one, before jumpin' up and down excitedly as he went to the pond and practically danced on top of it before he was sent into the air, the wind actually taking on a will of its own to work with Jack. The memory faded and I was left both awestruck and heartbroken. I turned around and noticed that North and Tooth had the same expressions on their face as they looked at Jack layin' in the bed._

"He..." I started as a tear fell down my fur. "He...died. He was just a child..."

"He is true guardian...He gave up his own life for his sister..." North stated with another fatherly hand moving gently through the mixed colored hair. "...we must see what happened with Pitch."

_We all placed our fingers on the box once more and the memory started immediately with Jack closing Sophie's window and giving a small smile to Baby Tooth. "We should get back."_

_"Jack!" Jack's sister's voice seemed to call out._

_"_ _That voice..." He narrowed his eyes trying to remember where he's heard it from, but only we knew at the moment. "I know that voice."_

_"Jack!" It called out once more, and almost as if he was in some sort of trance, he flew off towards the sound of the voice, his eyes searchin' for where it could've come from. "Jack!" It called out again and he landed on someone's roof, again searchin' the area for the familiar voice. "Jack!" It said again. He flew off towards the forest, intent on finding the source of the voice. Once he made it to the middle of the woods and landed he walked closer to where he assumed the voice was coming from and found an old wooden bed frame that seemed to be broken in some places. "Jack?" Baby tooth tried to pull on his hoodie, but Jack waved at her with almost a hypnotized trance look in his eyes as he continued forward. "_ _Don't worry...there's still time."  Baby Tooth continuously tried to pull him away, but to no avail. "Baby Tooth! Baby T...C'mon! I have to find out what that is!" He looked up and saw all of the fairies in cages. All of the fairies started cryin' for Jack's help. He flew up to a cage and saw so many fairies inside. "Shhhh keep it down! I'm gonna get you out as soon as I..."_

_"Jack?" The voice called again and the trance like stare appeared on his face once again. "Jack!"_

_"...I can..." He practically threw himself into the pile of teeth canisters and frantically looked for a face that resembled his but found none, and I was starting to get a bad feelin' about this and our assumptions of what happened on Easter._

_"Looking for something?" Pitch asked from the shadows. Jack turned around and shot ice towards the shadow, and as it disappeared he began to chase it. 'Go on Jack!' I thought to myself as I felt pride rise in my chest. "Don't be afraid, Jack. I'm not gonna hurt YOU."_

_Jack jumped around the darkened corridor until he found Pitch walking across a bridge. He flew towards him and started following him with his staff ready to strike. "Afraid? I'm not afraid of you."_

_"Maybe not, but you are afraid of something."_

_"You think so, huh?"_

_"I know so! It's the one thing I always know. People's greatest fears. Yours is that no one will ever believe in you." Then suddenly, he was pulled down a dark tunnel and pushed out somewhere else in the cavern as he chuckled darkly. "And worst of all...You're afraid you'll never know why! Why you? Why were you chosen..." Jack ran away from the voice all while tryin' to find where it came from. His heart was poundin' and he was gettin' more frightened the more Pitch talked. Jack backed up against the wall as he noticed Pitch's shadow coming towards him, becomin' more solid. "...To be like this. Well, fear not. For the answer to that is right here." Pitch held out the canister to Jack and looked at them both with a smile on his face as he asked, "Do you want them, Jack? Your memories?" Jack reached out to them, but drew his hand back as he scoffed out a breath of disbelief at disappeared again, and he soon found himself chasing him again through the dark cavern of cages. "Everything you wanted to know..." Pitch's shadow spoke. "...in this little box." His shadow disappeared and Jack ran after it desperately. "Why did you end up like this?" Pitch's voice called from everywhere. "...unseen..." He continued. "...unable to reach out to anyone. You want the answers so badly. You want to grab them and fly off with them, but you're afraid of what the guardians will think. You're afraid...of disappointing them. Well let me ease your mind about one thing. They'll never accept you...not really." Pitch's voice echoed around him, and for a split second it seemed like Jack would actually believe that of them, not that I can really blame him...after we basically treated him like that when he came back without Baby Tooth, but seein' the memory made guilt rise up through my entire body as I began to feel sick to my stomach._

_"Ngh! Stop it! Stop it!"_

_"After all..." Pitch appeared in front of Jack who was now standin' next Pitch's version of the globe. "You'll never be one of them." He smiled darkly as he approached closer._

_"You don't know what I am!" He growled out._

_"Of course I do! You're Jack Frost! You make a mess where ever you go. Why...you're doing it right now." He tossed the teeth canister towards Jack, and Jack caught it, and looked at it skeptically._

_"What did you do?"_

_"More to the point, Jack? What did you do?" Pitch faded into darkness with a cruel smile. Jack immediately went after him, his staff glowin' with power, when he realized that Pitch wasn't there. He made to turn around but found himself facin' a wall instead. I was one of my walls in the tunnels. "Baby Tooth!" He shouted in shock and worry. "Happy Easter, Jack."_

_Jack turned around to see crushed eggs and his heart sank, and judgin' by the look on his face even his soul seemed to ache._ _"No..."_

The memory ended and we all stood there feelin' guilty. "He had every intention of coming back..." I stated as I turned around. Once I looked at him, I noticed that almost half of his hair was maple brown and the color that Jack had in his human memories started coming and going as if it were fading in and out. "The teeth...they called to him. He has had amnesia for three hundred years and his memories finally called out to him...he couldn't help but go to them..." Tooth stated guiltily and I just nodded my head, takin' in her words. "We need to hurry to the next memory."

_We repeated the action one more time and we watched as there was ice everywhere. Jack was runnin' up to the edge of a cliff with his tooth canister in hand, ready to throw it. 'This must've been after I told him we should never have trusted him.' "I thought this might happen." Pitch called out. "They never really believed in you. I was just trying to show you that." Jack grew livid the more and more Pitch continued to talk. "But I understand."_

_With pure rage appearin' on his features he immediately and relentlessly attacked Pitch with an ice blast. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING!" He shouted as he jumped over Pitch, landed on the far other side of him, and shot another ice blast. Pitch used his nightmare sand as a shield from Jack's blast that would've likely sent him off the edge of the cliff._

_"No!? I don't know what it's like to be cast out!?" He shot out nightmare sand at Jack who avoided it and immediately flew high into the air with a vengeful yell as he shot out a large and powerful icy blast that Pitch had to use quite a bit of nightmare sand to defend with. "To not be believed in?" He continued. "To long for...a family!?" Pitch's voice broke at the end and Jack started lowerin' his staff. "All those years in the shadows I thought, 'no one else knows what this feels like.' But now I see I was wrong." Jack stared at Pitch with stunned eyes. "We don't have to be alone Jack. I believe in you, and I know children will too!"_

_"In me?" He asked curiously. 'No, Jack! Don't listen to him!' I screamed in my head. I know it's a memory but I can't help it. It's like it's really happenin' in front of me._

_"_ _Yes! Look at what we can do?" Pitch asked as he gestured to the large ice sculpture that was mixed with nightmare sand. "What goes together better than cold and dark!? We can make them BELIEVE! We'll give them a world where everything...EVERYTHING IS..."_

_"Pitch Black?" Jack inquired using his staff to point at him. 'That's right, mate! Don't let him catch ya off guard!' I thought to myself as the memory continued on. "And Jack Frost too...They'll believe in both of us."_

_"_ _No, they'll FEAR both of us, and that's not what I want. Now, for the LAST time, leave me alone!"_

_Pitch's smile dropped quickly. "Very well. You want to be left alone. Done! But first..."_

_Jack heard a familiar squeak from behind him and his eyes went wide. "Baby Tooth!"_

_"THE STAFF, JACK! You have a bad habit of interfering. Now, hand it over, and I'll let her go." Jack clutched his staff, ready to attack, and he heard the power practically sing from it with an icy voice, but he lowered it and flipped it around, handing it to Pitch. Pitch immediately took it and it lost all it's icy appearance it held when in Jack's hands._

_"Alright, now let her go." He asked with dark eyes that had lost all of the pureness they held. All that was left was...well...that's the thing, there didn't seem to be much left. Jack held his hand held out, waitin' for him to give him Baby Tooth. 'He...He gave up his staff...'_

_"No." He said simply. "You wanted to be alone? Then BE alone!" Pitch was then caught by surprise by Baby Tooth's angry peck at his thumb and threw her against the ice wall in front of him._

_"No!" Jack shouted as he watched Baby Tooth hit the wall. He turned around to face Pitch when suddenly he watched his staff snap in two. He was clutchin' at his ribs and his heart in agony just before Pitch hurled nightmare sand at him and tossed him against the very same wall, causin' him to lose consciousness until he woke up not long after landin' down the icy cavern. Then, Pitch tossed Jack's broken staff into the same area. Once Jack regained consciousness, he looked over next to him and noticed that Baby Tooth was hurt. He shuffled over on his stomach, unable to move his legs quite yet and quickly grabbed her. "Baby Tooth! You alright?" He whispered out. He tried to close his hands around her to keep her warm when suddenly she squeaked, causin' him to open up his hands, and she sneezed, then shook her head. He let out a disappointed sigh as he still held her. "Sorry, all I can do is keep you cold..." He stood up on his knees only to crouch back down on them with another heavy sigh. "Pitch was right...I make a mess of everything." My heart skipped painfully at his statement. 'We had done that...we had made him think Pitch was right...' Baby tooth crawled from his hand and into his pocket causing Jack to let out a short, "Hey!" before leanin' up against the wall._

_"Jack? Jack!" He looked down at his hoodie pocket and it was glowin'._

_"Whoa!" He shouted as he jumped back in surprise until his back hit the ice wall. He took out the golden canister and looked at it, and Baby Tooth who held her own tiny hand against it, noddin' her head. He carefully placed his hand in the middle of the canister and was immediately brought forward to his memories. We saw a replay of how he played with the other children, went on Easter egg hunts, put on shadow puppet plays for them, played in trees, and most importantly, he witnessed himself saving his little sisters life and how MiM changed him from a dead mortal to Jack Frost. Quickly, as if all breath had left him, he sucked in a large gasp of air as he came floodin' back to himself. He looked at the canister, then at Baby Tooth, then to the canister again in disbelief. "Did you...Did you see that!?" Baby Tooth shook her head for her answer. "It was...It was me!" He said frantically as he moved to grab Baby Tooth to tell her of what he saw. "I had A FAMILY! I had a SISTER! I SAVED her!" Then realization seemed to dawn on him as he looked up to the full moon above him. "That's why you chose me..." He whispered out. "I'm...I'm a guardian!" As much joy he seemed to feel and as much hope that seemed to fill his eyes, he noticeably soon realized, he still needed to get out and get to the others. "We have to get out of here!" He said as he started lookin' for a way to climb out. Then, he noticed his staff. He quickly grabbed it and tried to put it back together, seemingly focusing on everything he felt inside, but it didn't work. He tried once more with more concentration and to his surprise, the staff began mendin' itself in his hands. Once it was mended he shot up into the air and danced with the wind laughin' joyously. "Come on Baby Tooth! I owe you one!"_

"His staff!" I shouted once the memory ended. "He's connected to his staff!"

"Bunny, I don't understand...what do you mean he is connected to his staff?"

"It's like how I'm connected to the warren or my sentries. We're practically one just with separate bodies, and you remember when we got to the surface, and I told you the tunnels were being attacked?"

"Yes, you told us and you left."

"Well, I knew that, because I could feel it. Jack's staff is almost the same. It's just somehow...a bit more powerful for him, but instead of just simply being connected to him...it's a part of him. A part of his heart and soul. So when Pitch snapped it..."

"He snapped his heart and soul."

"Yes, but if you also remember...when he rose from the pond, we never heard his heart start back up. So, it mainly just affected his soul which is where his power resides and connects with his staff. Not only that, but did you see what Jack turned into after he handed over his staff?"

"He turned into something?"

"He did! He turned into a darker version of Jack. One who no longer knew what fun was, or hope, or wonder, or joy. Just pure fury and emptiness, and then when Pitch snapped his staff...he lost everythin' that made him...him. That is...until Baby Tooth let him look at his memories...but when he put his staff back together, everythin' came back to him. You could see it clear as day on his face and in his eyes. His staff is a part of his soul. I think that's why he's turning into a human and getting sick...he's still broken inside from when the staff broke."

"Bunny...you pay very close attention." North said with an impressed look.

"I had to if I wanted to figure out what was wrong with Jack...and now I know." I answered sadly as I looked at Jack whose hair was mostly brown now.

"Do you think you can fix?" North asked me with pure concern in his voice.

"I don't know...I can try, but here in a few minutes...it looks like he will have the full appearance of who he used to be. I don't know if his powers will work...however, I'm still gonna try, mate. You can be sure of that."

"Please, do your best. Do not hesitate to call or show up if needed. See if you can't contact Manny later...and feed Jack, please...he is skinny enough as is..."

"I promise you, North, I'm gonna do everythin' I can...It's just...I had never heard of this happenin' before. Perhaps Mother Nature can help...do you think you can try and get in contact with her and tell her the situation?"

"I will as soon as I am back at pole." North took out a snow globe. "Take me home." He whispered to it and tossed it against the wall. "Take care, Bunny, and good luck."

"Thanks North, same to you."


	3. Mother Nature Visits the Warren

As soon as North left, I made my way to the kitchen and prepared soup for Jack that held another potion in it, but not the same as before. This one was akin to normal medicine but much much stronger. I would use it myself if I was coming down with any sort of sickness, so that I could get right back to work within an hour. I stepped into Jack's room with the bowl in hand and noticed that his hair had now completely turned maple brown, and his skin had completely gained color. It was a little startlin' to see him in the state he was in, but now it's even more startlin', because I have no clue what's gonna happen. His heart stopped when he drowned before becomin' Jack Frost and that will likely never leave my mind. However, it makes me wonder what's gonna happen to him, because obviously a spirit can live without a heart, but usually when they do they are ruthless and uncarin'. Jack was none of those things, yet he existed his entire three hundred years of life without one and was every bit the same kid he was when he was human. Another thing that came to mind was if he turns fully human does that mean his heart will restart or if it doesn't will he be completely...dead? I shook the thoughts from my mind as they were doing neither of us a damn bit of good. "Jack, I brought you some food." I said as I continued into the room. "Not that you can hear me..." I whispered under my breath.

"A..." He started and my ears picked up.

"Jacky? What is it? Are ya waking up?"

"Aster..." I blinked once...twice...and yup, he's still there and he just said my name.

"WHAT!?" I shouted in shock, nearly droppin' the soup. No one has called me Aster Since I was last with my people and when Manny told me that I was to be the Easter Bunny. So, I'm justifiably shocked when I hear it come from a three hundred year old spirit turnin' human. I felt my paws shakin' as I carefully sat down the soup onto the nightstand where his staff was layin' against. "Jack...can ya hear me?" I asked with a shaky breath. I received a slow and painful nod from him as he winced in pain. I didn't think I could bring myself to ask how he knew my name just yet, so I just started to slowly feed him as I felt a strange feelin' that despite everythin'...it was okay to trust him with my name. "If ya ever make fun of me takin' care of ya, Frostbite, I'm gonna send my sentries after ya." With painful swallows he took in the soup, and as he finished the last spoonful I heard somethin' only my ears could detect from far away. A heartbeat. I pressed my ear against his chest just in case after laying him back down, and I heard it even louder. It was steady yet weak. It needed more strength, but I didn't care about that, because for now, it meant that Jack was at least gonna live through gettin' better. As I set the bowl back down on the nightstand I let out a guilt ridden sigh. _'Mate...if I hadn't have sent you away like I did, this wouldn't have happened.'_   I looked at his staff and felt my heart clench. _'I caused his very soul to get snapped into pieces.'_   Then I looked back at him as I remembered what he did for me. _'Why would you get Jamie to believe in me, kid...How were you even able to smile at me?'_   At my thoughts I watched a pained expression wash over Jack's face as the sweat quickly diminished and his skin gained even more of its color.

"W...Where am I?" He asked me without openin' his eyes and swallowin' a lump in his throat.

"You're uh...you're in my home." He tried to lift himself up, but it was apparent he was in too much pain to do so. So, I gently laid a paw on his chest and eased him back down. "Sorry...can't let ya up just yet. I gave you a couple of potions. One that was helped along with my own magic to heal your ribs, and one in the soup you just ate. The soups healing powers should kick in soon. Then, I can let you up."

"B-Bunny? Why am in your home? What...happened? The last...the last thing I remember was... I was still in the sleigh." He swallowed another lump in his throat, and I couldn't help but swallow one too. Hearin' Jack's voice come from this boy with peach colored skinned and maple brown hair was unnervin'.

"You uh...you apparently passed out sometime in between the sleigh ride and to the pole's hanger. You were sweatin' pretty bad, and well...um...Jack...It seems...It seems that you're turnin' into a human." A very weak laugh escaped his lips followed by a slight huff of air. "Bunny...I am a human...I'm just...a human that can...freeze things."

"No, mate I mean...your staff doesn't work. I tried puttin' it in your hand but it didn't frost up at all. Just looked like an ordinary staff." Jack groaned in slight disbelief, and he still hasn't opened his eyes yet.

"Wind..." Suddenly, there was a huge gust of wind circlin' around us as if it was searching for somethin' or...someone. "Give me my staff, please." Suddenly, my eyes went wide as the wind seemed to focus and hone in on Jack's staff and seemed to actually give it to him. Once it was in his hand it frosted, but not as much as it had before he was in this state. "I'm...weak...Bunny...but I still have my powers. What makes you...think...I'm turning into a human..."

"Because your hair is brown, you have color in your skin, and you have a heartbeat."

"Heart beat? Bunny, I don't..." He placed a hand over his own heart and his eyes finally burst open in shock. If I had to admit it, I would say they looked remarkable and astoundin'. One eye was an icy blue and the other was oak brown. They complimented each other well on Jack, but it only reminded me of the situation more, so I didn't mention it. "I...I have a heart beat..."

"Yeah, mate...North and I...we think you may be changin' into a human...We wanted to know what could've caused it...and we guessed that it had to be when you weren't with us and the only two times that happened..."

He closed his eyes and groaned slightly as he pressed himself deeper into the bed. "Before and After Easter."

"Yeah..." I said guiltily. "We had tooth show us your memories along with how you became Jack Frost..."

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Bunny." "Don't be...once I saw the memories..."

"So, you saw what happened...between me and Pitch...and you saw me die." It wasn't a question, but almost a need for confirmation.

"Right you are, mate. Look...I know you're powers are weak...but you're still turnin' very much human. Even one of your eyes is a different color. I don't know what might happen but I do know it has a lot to do with when Pitch snapped your staff in two." He winced at my words and I nodded my head. "Yeah...and when you handed him your staff you turned into a completely different person."

"Heh, I felt...like a completely...different person."

"Hmm..." I started as I looked at his staff and a questioned nagged at the back of my head. "Mate...I put the staff in your hand and then I went to go get North. I didn't move it...did ya somehow wake up at some point?"

"No." He croaked out. "Wind took it from me. I felt her take it from me, and then I fell back to sleep...if you can call it that." "How is it ya have the wind at your command?"

"That's a question...you'll have to...take up with Manny. Besides...I don't have...her at my command. We are friends." If my eyes could go any wider, it was right then and there, but before I could ask any questions he turned his head to face me, and he opened his different colored eyes again. "That soup was...really good...didn't know you could...cook, Cottontail."

"Oh, I'm full of surprises, mate." I told him with a small smirk. _'And apparently so are you...'_   I thought to myself. "Thank you for the compliment...but I have a small question."

"Of course you do." He sighed. "Can't leave a 'might be dying' man to...rest, can you?" He remarked as he sat up a little more in the bed.

"Sorry, no can do." I chuckled. "I just...you said my name in your sleep."

"Well, this is...awkward." He stated with wide eyes. "I don't remember dreaming of bunnies."

"No, you misunderstand. You said my name..."

"I heard ya, Bunny."

"No...My real name."

"Real name?"

"My real name is..." I hesitated for a moment, because I know the implications and consequences for giving another spirit my real name, but as I see it, after everything he's done, despite what we had done to him, and what he's been through, I can't help but feel it would be okay for him to know. So, I take in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "My real name is E. Aster Bunnymund. I always just went by Aster that is...before I was made into the Easter Bunny...you said 'Aster' in your sleep. Do you know where you've heard it before? Because I have never told anyone my name in. The only ones that would know it would be Mother Nature or..."

"Manny..." He rasped out.

"Excuse me?" He cleared his throat and turned his head a little more towards me.

"Manny told me..."

"When!?"

"While I was sleeping. He told me you were taking care of me. He said, 'Don't worry, Jack Frost...Aster is taking care of you.' Then, as per usual between me and him...he didn't state anything that would help me realize my situation. Now, we're both a bit lost. Hey um..." He looked down at his bare chest and started shivering slightly. "...You wouldn't happen to have anything for me to wear...would you? I'm getting cold...which...is odd...I really must be ill." His eyes went wide with realization, and there was a touch of fear in them, and honestly, I couldn't blame him.

"The dresser's enchanted, mate. Whoever lays down in the bed, it makes clothes that suit that person in design, color, and size."

"Enchanted? Now, I feel like...I'm in a story book." He grinned from ear to ear, and I found myself mimicking that grin.

"Says the winter sprite that enchanted me to have fun in my own warren."

"What can I say...it was like..." He looked to the ceiling as if it would provide the rest of the answers, and apparently it did, because he then turned and smile at me. "...It was as if I sensed someone in need of fun and that person was you."

"Sounds a lot like how I can sense hopelessness. Hey, at least you're talkin' better, and I just wanna let you know, I sent North to get Mother Nature so that..."

"Oh no...Not her!" He groaned out as he looked up at the ceiling.

"What? She not like you or somethin'?"

"No. Quite the opposite. Whenever she gets the chance she spoils me rotten. She gives me gifts, lets me roam around her domain, she gave me my own room, she always makes sure I'm alright and if my powers are okay, if I've been upset or if anyone's caused me any trouble...oh and..."

"What? Why?" I quickly interrupted before the shockin' tirade of how Mother Nature treated him continued.

"Because she cares for me and apparently greatly appreciates what I do. She thinks it's beautiful, and that she is happy that Wind finally found a friend. She appreciated the fact that I left the rain forests completely alone and simply admired them from a distance, she always wants me to be happy and...The list just goes on...basically, she wants to smother me like an overbearing mother. I can guarantee you, she'll show up without hesitation." I watched as he grabbed his staff that still held the same amount of frost on it, and he used it as a sort of crutch to move to the other side of the room where the dresser was. He pulled it open and took out a white loose fitting shirt with thin short sleeves. The shirt matched the era he was from originally, and there were small snowflakes etched into the cloth here and there with light blue thread. "I'm starting...to like this...enchanted dresser. I can't...remember the last...time I got new clothes." Once it was completely on, I almost couldn't believe my eyes. If I didn't know any better, and if I wasn't currently watching Jack turn into a human, I would've thought this was a complete stranger in my warren, and if anythin', he seemed more comfortable in the shirt he was wearing.

"Good to know...you seem to be feelin' a bit better." I stated dumbly as I still tried to determine if the person in front of me was Jack Frost, even though I knew full well it truly was.

"I am...I think it was the soup you gave me. I'm still sore and a bit light headed though...but I don't feel like I was beaten to a bloody pulp anymore." He chuckled out, and carefully made his way back to the bed to sit next to me.

"Well, at least you're feelin' better, and in case you were wonderin' it was the soup."

"Hmm..." He nodded at me with a small smile which quickly turned into a frown. "It feels weird...being human."

"I wouldn't know." I joked with a slight smile.

"Bunny, you're more human than most humans I know." He quipped back with a soft chuckle which was followed by a wince. "So...do you know how long I'm gonna stay here?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. We just need to focus on you gettin' better. Now, I have to um...go clean up the warren. You're welcome to roam around if you like, just don't overexert yourself."

"Can I follow you? Perhaps I could help. That is...if you'll let me. At least this way I would know my way back if need be."

"Alright then..." I said after thinkin' about it for a moment. Once we made it out and after he voiced how impressed he was with the house, I watched in amusement as his jaw dropped even further and as amazement and wonder made it's way to his different colored eyes.

"Bunny..."

"This is the Warren after Easter. Nighttime dwells so beautifully here and makes the plants glow. At the beginnin' of every year sunlight shines in until Easter, after it though...moonlight comes peering in from every corner." I looked out to the warren shining in its moonlit glow. The grass was a gentler darker color, the flowers glowed brightly and fireflies were flyin' freely around everythin'. The ceiling of the Warren which only seemed to be as high as the real sky and shone with stars. The ceiling is far up, that's for sure, and it stood several hundred feet higher than a sycamore tree, but that's it. I looked back at him, and his eyes practically shone with delight at it all. I couldn't help the small chuckle at his reaction. "You like it, Jacky?"

"It's...you know...beautiful doesn't even begin to describe it, Aster." He seemed to realize what he said and gasped lightly. "Er...sorry...I..."

"It's fine, mate. You can call me Aster. I'm not worried about you knowing my name. Not anymore at least."

"Okay..." He said as he nodded his head with a confused look that left me feeling a bit confused at his expression. Then, the wind seemed to wrap around him and lift his shirt slightly, causing him to giggle.

"Does the wind talk to you?" I asked with a risen brow.

"Sometimes, other times...if it seems like I'm uncomfortable, she'll come rushing around me, and it can tickle like it did just then. I think she does it on purpose."

"If she's a friend, she very well might be." I smiled at him as I made my way towards the tunnels.

After about thirty minutes of walking and Jack admirin' the Warren, he finally asked what I had expected him to ask. "Just how big is the Warren anyway?"

"Close to the size of the whole earth." I stated simply. "You forget, I have tunnels that lead to entire countries and continents. It's a large place, and the tunnels aren't that far below the surface..."

"So how far until we are at the tunnels?"

"Not far now." I answered as we were startin' to get to the hill that leads to the tunnels.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar whirring noise, which indicated that a snow globe was activated. "Where is Jack!?" A woman's gentle yet impatient and worried voice shouted. I turned behind me and was met with Mother Nature who wore a beautiful golden circlet with what looked like water droplets floating and circlin' around it, a beautiful emerald green dress that shined with small golden sparkles from the middle of it towards the bottom, and she had one of her small potted vine minions holdin' a large sack without any difficulty. The small little minion was equivalent to North's elves. Not very intelligent, but could lift heavy loads if needed, and sometimes helpful.

"Uh...Hi, Mother Nature..." Jack waved sheepishly.

"You're..." She seemed to look him up and down and then an amused grin appeared on her face. "You look so different, my little snowflake." She walked gracefully towards us as she was followed by North and Tooth who just entered into the warren. They both gasped at Jack's appearance, but didn't move from their spots. "Oh, sweet Jack. Your very soul has been split in two and crushed, hence the reason why you have two different eye colors. It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, after all. Anyway, this is about more than just your staff, my sweet boy. You're not dying and you're still a winter spirit, but only just." She held a hand against Jack's core near the exact spot where he was clutching in the memory, and her hand started glowing a bright gold. "You have to mend your soul."

"What...what do you mean?" Jack squeaked out with worry, and I couldn't blame him. I was startin' to get worried too.

"Well, my little snowflake...You've been hurt recently...badly...and yes it will take some time for the physical aspect of your soul to heal from the staff being broken...which truly had a horribly real affect on you, but until you come to terms and mend what has shattered, you will remain this way. In between human and spirit. As I'm sure you can tell, your feet have not frosted anything on the ground."

Jack looked at his feet and jumped back quite a bit. "No, I hadn't noticed...um...why is my heart beating? Do you know the answer to that?" He asked desperately.

"Of course I do, child, but that's another matter entirely. Once you've mended your soul completely, I will tell you. Until then, I think this is the most perfect place for someone with a heart and soul like yours to be. My small minion has gifts for you as always. However, these would actually be better placed into Bunny's expert hands."

I took the bag from the small minion and looked at it questioningly. "What's in it?" I asked.

"New clothes that have healing properties, they just need to be activated by a healer such as yourself. You all may not know this, but before he met any of you, he met me, and whenever we would meet he was always covered in wounds from trying to hone his skills, powers, flying, and balancing. Whenever he would show up, I would feed him and heal his wounds. I know I shouldn't pick favorites, but out of all my seasonal children, he's certainly my favorite."

"Wait wait wait!" I started as my mind was reelin' in shock at her words. "Jack can't be one of yours...Manny created Jack didn't he?"

"We both did. Jack is one of a kind. He was created by both me and Manny. He received his life force from me as well as his ability to speak with nature anytime he wishes...although his ability to communicate with the wind as if they were friends is still a surprise to me...but anyway, both Manny and I worked together to give him all of his powers and immortality. Manny told me it was for someone special to him, and at first I had no idea what he could possibly mean by that...but then he told me about who Jack is...Anyway, the clothes...if he decides to wear them, should heal any injury, unless it's fatal, and depending on how severe the damage, depends on how long it takes for it to heal. The longest it may take is two days for a pretty severe injury."

"Wait...back up...does that mean...you really are like my mother and Manny is what...my father?"

"That's actually a very accurate description, Jack, however...in my perspective because of what I know...it is a bit amusing."

"So, that's why you spoil me rotten every time I see you."

"Well, of course. You are my spirit child after all. Now, Bunny..." She turned her gaze to me, and I couldn't close my jaw. It was still dropped in shock, much like North's and Tooth's were at Mother Nature's words. "...I think you'll find some items in there that you're familiar with. There are healing salves, ingredients for strong and difficult potions, and a new book for your library that holds documentation of all of Jack's injuries I have ever healed as well as some interesting facts about him. I give you these in good faith that you'll use them if Jack needs them."

"I...I w-will." I stutered out dumbly still in disbelief at what I had just heard her say.

"Very good. Well, I must be going then. I will take over some of Jack's winter responsibilities in the mean time until he can fully function. Which is a good thing not much of winter is needed right now. Even though I am Mother Nature I will never be able to pull it off like my sweet little snowflake." She gave him a soft hug and a kiss on his head. "Farewell, Jack."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye what?" She questioned with slight irritation and I was getting slightly amused as embarrassment slowly reached Jack's ears in a nice shade of red.

"Goodbye, Mother." He said with a groan, but he still held a grateful smile towards her.

"There we go. Well, I'm off!" She lifted her hand and she, along with her minion, disappeared in a small tornado of leaves that dispersed quickly with them vanishin' from sight.

Once she was gone, I crossed my arms as I looked at Jack, and he looked at me with a dumbfounded expression as everythin' that happened seemed to rush at him all at once. "Um...Aster, what just happened?" I winced slightly in embarrassment as I heard North and Tooth gasp aloud. "What?" He asked as he looked at them then to me.

"You know his name...his real name...?" North stated with wide eyes.

"Yeah, and? He said it was okay if I called him that." Jack stated, not knowin' just the exact weight of his own words, which only served to somehow throw the other two in even more shock.

"Jack, I don't think you understand what it means when we tell another spirit our real name." Tooth started with a surprised look in her eyes. "It's a huge sign of trust but it's more than that. For you to know Bunny's real name and be allowed to use it...it's a huge honor and sign of respect and trust. Only Manny or Mother Nature are allowed to call us by our real names."

"I'm still not following, Tooth. How is a huge sign of trust...or an honor for that matter?"

"Because, Jack, if someone knows our real name they can use it against us."

"How?" "Well there are a number of ways. The main ones being...Manipulation and control."

"How so? I mean...that seems a bit extreme to me."

"Indeed it is. It is at such an extreme, that not even Pitch would dare do that to another spirit. Which is why anytime a spirit is created usually Manny or Mother Nature warns them to not use their real name. I guess he knew that you would have amnesia and didn't bother to tell you...I mean...we didn't hear him tell you anything other than your name in the memories...but a long time ago there was a spirit who knew another spirits' name, and she used it against him in a fit of jealousy. It got him killed almost instantly, and because she took his trust in vain, it nearly killed her. It's why...It's why we don't take it lightly."

"So...every spirit gets this warning?"

"Yes, except you it seems. Well, I guess you could consider this your warning." Tooth stated with concerned eyes.

"But...Manny told me, 'Aster is taking care of you.' and left."

"That may be so, Jack, but all you would have had to do was say Bunny's real name once or have him merely know that you know it, and all he would have to do is tell you that he doesn't want you using it, and you would never be able to, and besides..."

"But Bunny told me his full real name...so what does that mean?"

He asked so calmly and I was nearly knocked back by the question myself. I knew what I was doing, and didn't mind at the time, but now I felt the weight of the decision along with the things I've already done to Jack, and it was almost too much. North's and Tooth's expressions weren't helpin' because they just stared at me slacked jawed. North staggered back slightly, and Tooth was no longer flyin' in the air as she merely stood next to North. Before they could say anythin', I decided I should be the one to tell him. "Well, Frostbite...it's like this...Since, I told you my full name...it basically means that I trust you above all else...and I'm basically trustin' you with my life. It means I think of you as a true and trusted friend. Names are powerful things for us spirits, and if the trust is ill placed well...it can hurt both people involved, and that's just the basic matter of it all. It gets a lot more complicated and I'm terrible at explainin' things like this, but just think of it as an immense form of trust over my life and who I am. It also means that protectin' you will be a pretty high priority for me now. ALMOST as high a priority as Easter is, but just barely."

"Right..." Jack started with wide and stressed eyes. "...So, no taking it lightly then."

"That's right, Jack. See...saying one part of my real name is a show of trust and brotherhood between you and me...for you to know my full real name...is where I'm basically trusting you with everythin' like I would as if you were born my family."

"I...um...I'm sorry?" He questioned with widened eyes.

"Nothin' to be sorry for, mate. It is what it is, and I can't take it back now. I already gave you permission. Just don't go abusin' it like it's a silly thing to play with. We could both seriously get hurt."

"I understand." He told me, and that was honestly the most serious I had ever seen him. "Quick question...if I just say, 'Aster' do you still have to do what I ask, or answer any questions I have?"

"No, it's just a huge sign of trust. Now, if you use my full name, then yes...I would have no choice."

"What were to happen if you were to know my full name? I'm asking, because I don't think it counts if my real name is my spirit name."

"But it isn't. Your spirit name is Jack Frost. Your real name is somethin' else, and you were just called Jack for short."

"Wow...you're really being careful not to say it huh...?" His eyes went wide, and I had a feelin' he understood how big of a deal it was, but only at it's surface.

"That I am, Frostbite."

"Alright then...can you answer the question though?"

"Oh, right...well if we both knew each other's real names...then it's kinda like formin' an inseparable bond of sorts according to Manny. It's never been done before, so no one really knows what happens, we just know that it's possible according to Manny and Mother Nature."

"Oh...Okay, I think I understand."

"It seems so, but if ya have any questions, I can answer them. Now, some of our questions about you have been answered along with some surprisin' revelations. one being that you're not dyin', two being that you'll still be a spirit but you'll be a half spirit so you have limits, three being that you're broken on the inside and it needs mending, four being that you're the apparent love child of Manny and Mother Nature which wold explain how powerful ya are, and five being that you're still the same Jack now that ya were back then." I smiled at him and then looked at North and Tooth who were still wearing shocked expressions. "I trust neither of you will speak of Jack knowing my name."

"We swear." They both said in complete seriousness.

"Thank you. Now, not that I don't like ya in the Warren, but I've got some cleaning up to do, and Frostbite here has decided to help."

"Right. Toothy, I think it's best we leave now. They have much to discuss."

"Right after you, North."


	4. Sentries and Questions

Once they vanished, the Warren seemed to slip back into peacefulness, but it was different this time. The flowers seemed to glow brighter, there were more butterflies flyin' around that glowed like the flowers, the amount of fireflies had increased, and more flowers had been poppin' up here and there. "Uh...Ast...erm...Bunny, what's going on?"

"You can say my name when it's just us, Jack. It won't do anythin'. As for what's happenin', I assume it's because ya know my full name, ya discovered it in my home, and I openly gave you permission to use it. C'mon, we have work to do."

"Oh wait! I want to put on the new outfit I got just in case."

"Alright, suit yourself. I never took you as one for precautionary measures but alright. I'll wait here." He ran behind one of the larger shrubs and started changing clothes.

"I'm always careful, it's just I'm more careful now, because I'm only half a spirit now...and...Um...Aster? I took the shirt off and it disappeared..."

"It just went back to the enchanted dresser. The clothes hold their own magic as well."

"Is everything in here magical?"

"No, just...most things..." I stated as I tried to contemplate just how many things in the warren held their own magic. I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard Jack come out from behind the bushes wearin' his new clothes, and holding his old pair of pants. My eyes went wide at Jack's appearance. He wore a shirt very similar to the one he was already wearing except this one was a strikin' blue that matched his wintery eyes and it had shorter sleeves that reached to his elbows that were loose fittin'. There were also dark blue swirlin' patterns mixed in with light blue thread that made small snowflakes that seemed to be etched into the pattern delicately. He was also given black pants that were very similar to the pants he was just wearin'. I smirked slightly as I noticed that she hadn't packed him any shoes. Either way, the clothes actually suited him rather well. "Well, look at you. She sure made you look sharp." I walked closer to him to get a better look, and to see just where I needed to activate the healin' properties on his clothes.

"I can't tell if you're insulting or complimenting me, so I'm just gonna take it as a compliment."

I ignored him just for a short while when I finally found where it needed to be activated. I hovered my paw over the back of his shirt and there was a bright green glow for a brief moment that surrounded Jack, and then it was gone. "It was meant as a compliment. Do you feel like it's workin'?"

"Yeah...it's working on some of the wounds I got from fighting with Pitch along side all of you...mainly when he slammed me against the ground amd out of the sky...you were still a cute little bunny." He chuckled out the last bit and I chose to ignore it. "That's good. C'mon, we have work to do."

"Um, where am I supposed to put my pants?" I looked at him with a small grin as I tapped my foot once against the ground and I pointed at the hole in the ground. He seemed to get the hint quickly because he dropped them down, and then looked at me when the hole closed. "Where did they go?"

"To the laundry room. Now, c'mon ya said you would help." I told him as I took the bag from him and carried it down to the tunnels where all the eggs were smashed.

Once we made it there, Jack's eyes went wide as he saw the exact damage. "Aster...I'm so sorry."

"Nothin' you can do about it now, Jack. Besides, you helped out in the end." I tried to reassure him.

"Right..." He stated as he continued forward with his staff in hand. While he started pickin' them up one by one I started laughin' lightly at how careful he was bein'. I walked over to one of the nearby trees which served as a secret closet of sorts, and I pulled out something that would undoubtedly help. "Uh...what's that, Aster?" He asked curiously, unable to see me entirely from where he was at.

"You're not the only one with a staff, Jacky." I took out my staff that I had always had since I was young, at least before I turned a hundred years old. It was a long golden staff with a few emeralds in the length of it, but at the top stood a beautiful emerald gem in the shape of an egg.

"Um...what does it do?" Jack inquired as he stared at the staff in my right hand.

"It does a number of things, one of the things it can do is somethin' I found out on my own when I was just getting used to it. It'll help with the clean up. You wanna see what it does?" I asked, knowin' full well that I had already planned on using it.

"Yeah!" I smirked at him as I made my way to stand in front of him and I slammed the bottom of the staff against the ground twice. It's sound echoed through the entire warren, followed by a slight earth quake. Jack almost fell over because of it, but I caught him by placin' an arm around his shoulders and pushed him back up.

"Whoa there, Jack. Don't worry, it'll be over soon."

"What will? What's happening?" Right at his words the sealed doors that usually stayed at the other side of the tunnels, came rushing forward with all of the crushed eggs being brought forth. "Whoa! It made the doors move!"

"That it did, Jack, but that's not it can do mate. Just watch." I tapped the bottom of it once in every direction of each tunnel and the ground swallowed up the eggs. "They...they sunk into the ground! Well, if that was possible, why did you accept my offer to help?" All I did was lean against my staff, and I realized it was actually in a similar way that Jack leans against his, and I gave him a knowin' smirk. The Earth quake started again, but it was much more intense this time, so I made sure to hold Jack in place until it calmed. Then, the places where the eggs sunk down, new sentries started comin' out of the ground. Once they were all up, I moved back to the tree and put the staff back in it's place, sealin' it up until I need it for another time.

"I need your help movin' the sentries to my home. I can activate them there. So, what did ya think, Jack?" I asked as I made way back to him, and quickly noticed his stunned expression. "Jack?" He looked at me with wide eyes and immediately started ramblin'.

"Y-You have a staff! You made the doors move! You made new Sentries! You...wow..."

"Yes, I have a staff, Jack." I chuckled out. "However, no one else is to know that, understand? The other guardians know, but that's because we fought along side each other and I had it with me on a regular basis, but that was a very very long time ago. I cannot risk losing that staff at any point in time. Nor are you allowed to use it. No one else is to know I have it."

His stunned expression immediately turned into one of guilty confusion. "Why would you um...let...me know about something like that?"

"Another show of trust I suppose, but it was also so that we wouldn't be spendin' the entire time pickin' up eggs. Whatever eggs that get broken, or are just not good...I turn them into sentries."

"Oh...okay..." His frown seemed to increase somehow, but before I could ask about it, it changed into what I could tell immediately was a forced smile. "I won't tell anyone about the staff, Aster. I give you my word."

"That's good to know. Well, now we have to get them all back to my home and activate them."

"Why your home? Can we not just activate them here?"

"Because it takes a lot of time and energy to activate one. Also, I don't have any sentries that close to my home. Figure it would be a good idea if they hung around near my home. That way, if you do wander, you'll at least have a way to warn me if you get injured. Usually they stay around where they were activated so..."

"That's actually a good idea, Cottontail." He interrupted me with a smile.

"Oi! I always have good ideas!"

"Uh huh, whatever you say, Bunny." He rolled his eyes, and something twinged in my chest when he stopped calling me Aster. _'Must be part of the name trust thing.'_  

"Well, get a move on. We have to roll these all the way up that hill and to my home. Do ya think ya got any power left that can help with that?"

"Well...considering these aren't the same size are your other sentries..."

"They'll get bigger once they're activated..."

"Yeah, I figured. Right now though, they're as big as I am...anyway, since they aren't that big...perhaps Wind could help move them a little bit, but..."

"But?" "The amount of wind she might have to use may tear up some of the flowers...and I don't want that...so...no...sorry."

"Not a problem, Frostbite. In fact, I'm grateful that you thought about what the wind might do to my Warren. Well...I guess we better get pushin' then. They're heavy little buggers."

"Alright then..." It took us almost two and a half hours to finally get all of the sentries to my house and we both slumped against our last sentries. "You know...I'm startin' to figure out why...it's been about two hundred years...since I last made a group...of sentries." I told him in between breaths.

"Is that...so? Mind telling me...how many you...used to make...at a time?" He asked me with a short laugh.

"Well...as the...times changed. So did tastes, so I...worked to make different recipes for...chocolate...and candy...so a lot of mistakes were made in...creatin' new flavors. I made twelve sentries one time...it was not a great time activatin'...them."

"Wow...that's impressive...Wait!...I thought...the eggs were all you know...hard boiled or something..."

I smirked at him as started gettin' my breath back. "You're also not the only one that...likes to play tricks. Some are, and some aren't. It's a bit of a...surprise. Although, I will admit...most of them are candy."

"So...you actually...know how to make...candy?" He asked me as he lifted himself up a little with his staff.

"Of course!" I told him as I laughed so hard my stomach ached. "What would make you think I didn't. It ain't like I can just hop over to the store and buy some."

"Did you just make a bunny joke...about yourself?" My eyes went wide for a moment before I found myself chucklin'.

"I guess I did." I pulled myself up and stood in front of the sentry that I was restin' against. I turned to face it and let out a sigh. "Now I got to activate them all...You can go inside and rest if ya want or you can watch me activate these...although, it might take a while."

"Perhaps, I could help."

"Hmm..." I started with an amused smile. "I'd like to see you try, you have to have a certain type of magic."

"What do you mean?"

"Well...they react to me because I have nature magic."

"Hmm..." I gave a side glance to him, and noticed that he was looking thoughtfully at the sentry in front of him. "I wonder..." He said as he carefully picked a flower from the ground. He held it in his hand and close his eyes. I could tell he was concentrating by the look on his face, but before I could even chuckle at his 'in vain' attempt, the leaves that were left behind by Mother Nature started to shake and soon they were spinning gently around Jack as he continued to concentrate. Suddenly, the flower in his hand began to glow brightly as pure translucent ice was covering it. Once it was finished, Jack seemed to be breathless and the leaves fell from their places in the air.

"Jack...what are you doing?" I questioned, breathless at what I had just witnessed

"Well...since you said this whole Warren has a bit if magic...I figured if I combined it with mine...then I could use it to...activate the sentry. Also, you said 'nature magic' well...the way I understand it is...Winter is kind of nature magic as it affects nature. Now...what do I do?"

"Um...hold it up against it..." I told him, still feelin' flabbergasted at what had just happened. Jack nodded at me and did as I suggested, and to my surprise, I felt power comin' from the small frozen flower. However, the surprises didn't stop there. My eyes went wide as the sentry started to react to it. It started to wiggle back and forth as it grew, but instead of the normal green moss that usually grew upon activation, it started frosting in some places and instead of the normal symbols that would appear just barely out of sight, it grew symbols of snowflakes.

"I did it!" He exclaimed but almost immediately after his joy rose through his whole body, it was replaced by a dizzy spell and I just barely caught him.

"Whoa, careful there, Frostbite."

"Oh..." He groaned out as he held a hand to his head. "That took a lot out of me..."

I chuckled and steadied him a bit, or at least enough to where he could balance against his staff. "You're at half strength remember? Which...that fact alone, Jack...means you still have a reservoir of power that not even you know about."

"Heh...Seems so."

"Hmm...well, as interestin' as it would be to have a small army of frost sentries...I'm afraid you'll have to let me do the rest while I figure out how I'm gonna explain to the others that there's not only new sentries, but a frost sentry as well."

"You go on ahead and work your...magic. I'll just sit here and enjoy the warm breeze. It's been over three hundred years since I've felt one and not been agitated, although, it feels like much longer than that." "Right, then..." It had nearly been an hour and I just finished activating some of the sentries in front of me and was glad I didn't have that much more to go. _'It took Jack a matter of minutes..._ ' I thought to myself. _'...Just how much power does the little drongo have?'_

Drawn out of my thoughts I heard Jack clear his throat. "Can I ask you something Aster?"

"Depends, mate." "

On?"

"If it's a question I can answer."

"Right...well...um...I don't actually know that much about you, aside from you being a giant rabbit with anger issues, an unhealthy obsession with eggs and plant life, and a complete disregard for fun...so..."

"So..." I drawled out as I started on the next sentry. "...you wanted to know more about me?" I asked curiously, because honestly, it's not like anyone cared before. North and the others of course cared, that much was always obvious in the way we fought alongside each other, but they never asked about it.

"Well, in a way...yes."

"Well, ask away I suppose." I told him, unsure of what else to say.

"Were you human once?"

"No."

"No!?"

"That's what I said, mate." I replied simply as I attempted to concentrate on the sentry in front of me. "So...um..." "I'm a Pooka, Jack. I'm from a different planet, and if ya ever make fun of me for it, I will make sure Mother Nature smothers you good."

"Got it!" He promised with a slight laugh, which gave me a grin on my own face. "So uh...different planet? Pooka?" I let out a shaky sigh. It was one thing to know all of my history and to have been the last one, it was another thing entirely to tell someone else about it. Almost as if he could read the pain on my face without even havin' to look, he cleared his throat again and said, "Aster, if it's that difficult to talk about, you don't actually have to tell me, ya know."

"It is difficult, and I thank ya for understandin', but I already trusted ya with my name. I might as well tell ya. On my home planet, there was more green than you can ever imagine...and the plant life...it was magnificent to say the least. We had some of the same plant life you do, but we also had a lot of our own too. The potion I gave you for your ribs...was made from many ingredients that are found on your planet, but only one plant from my planet. I didn't officially learn the name, but I learned what it looked like and what it could do. We had all types of...people...you might say. Oh, and a pooka's childhood...lasts a whole day, but we do a lot in that day."

"Huh...no wonder you don't know how to have fun."

"I know how to have fun, Jack. My version of fun and yours are just different, that's all. Anyway, the different types of people were quite different...you had your healers, your warriors, your book worms, your gardeners, your family types...you list it, they were there."

"And...which one are you?"

"I..." I let in a deep breath before letting a heavy sigh out. "...was a little bit of everythin'...plus a sorcerer. Not to mention the staff I showed you...yeah...that helped with magic, but it also helped me keep time travelers from meddlin' with the past."

"You...you what? Time travelers...sorcerer...you...what!?"

"Ha!" I belted out as the sentry in front of me activated. "A bit too much for you, eh?"

"Um...just a bit. Wait...you were a little bit of everything...so...and I completely agree that you can fight, you're smart, you're a gardener and healer...but family?"

"Yeah...There was someone I loved once...and we had planned to have kits and everythin'...I guess it's why I took such a shine to the little ankle-biter when you hit me with your enchanted snowflake. It reminded me of a life I could've had."

"What...what happened?"

"Pitch." I didn't need to turn around to know that his eyes went wide in pure shock. "He wiped out the Pookas and my planet. I'm the last one."

"Bunny...I..."

"Don't worry about it, mate. That was more years ago than I think your brain can imagine, and it's one of the many reasons I was made into the guardian of Hope. After everything I had seen, done, and heard...I still held myself as high as I could...in Hope that there would be better times ahead. I mourned of course. I mourned for centuries. However, I still held onto my hope."

"Wow. That's...that's impressive Aster" He was quiet for a minute or two before clearing his throat and he began his questions again. "Hey so does that mean you're like the oldest guardian or something?"

"No, that belonged to someone long ago, then it was Manny...but out of us on Earth...Sandy is the oldest."

"How is Sandy the oldest!?"

"He's not much younger than Manny...anyway...what else did you want to know?"

"Um...I'm sure there's a billion questions I could ask...but...why Australian?"

"My accent?" I asked as I turned around to see his face completely shocked and patient at the same time. He gave me a nod and I chuckled lightly. "They remind me a bit of my home. Nobody held anythin' back. If they thought it, they said it. The accent is nice as well. It only took me about a day to learn the language and lingo, but since then...I dunno...it's a part of me now. I don't think I could get rid of it even if I wanted to."

"Makes sense I suppose."

I hummed in slight resentment and contentment. It felt good to talk about it, but it hurt so much. "You're takin' all of this pretty well." I stated to try and get out of my own thoughts.

"Yeah, well...you don't strike me as the type of Pooka that would lie or even slightly stretch the truth about something like that."

"Really now, and what type of Pooka do I seem to you...this should be good considerin' you've only ever met one Pooka."

"Well...aside from being real annoying, real grumpy, and really full of yourself when it comes to Easter...You take pride in your work, you care about the children, you speak your mind, and you have no reason to lie to me. You wouldn't gain anything from it, nor would I. I also gave you the option not to talk about it, but you did anyway."

My eyes went wide as I watched Jack simply lay down against the cool grass. "Ya don't say..."

"Yes, I do say." He told me as he closed his eyes while the warm wind blew over him. It was weird to think about, but for some reason, this Jack...the human looking Jack...seemed more like Jack than winter spirit Jack did.

Then, I remembered what Jack had said while asleep. "Well...since we're sharing. Can I ask you a question?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"If I can answer it."

I chuckled lightly with a fond smile on my face as an amused manner of my own words were said to me. "Right...When you were conked out...you said a name...Sarah, I believe. She someone you've fallen in love with?"

"No." He chuckled out, but the sound held no humor which left me wonderin' just who this woman is.

"Who is she?"

"She was my little sister. It was my birthday...Christmas morning...I had just turned fourteen and everyone was quite shocked that I had finished puberty so quickly from age thirteen...but anyway...on Christmas...my birthday...that's when my sister and I went out on the ice. That was the day I saved her, died, and later that night...reborn."

"Crikey, mate..."

"It's okay. I'm glad I saved her. I would do it again if the chance presented itself."

"And I'm inclined to believe ya."

"So..." He huffed out, clearly wantin' the subject to change. "Any other questions?"

"Well...quite a few actually. One mainly being...well...You never told me how you got Jamie to believe in me again."

"Oh...well...he was just about to give up believing in you, actually...and since everything that happened...well...I couldn't let it happen. I frosted his window and drew an Easter egg. That's when I got his attention. Then...I...well..."

"What is it?"

"I um...I drew a bunny on another frosted window and I had an idea...something I had tried to do long ago in Mother Nature's domain...but this time was different. I filled myself with all the hope I could...and I was able to make the bunny drawing come to life. It surprised both me and Jamie as it was in my hands just before jumping around him...then it exploded into a light flurry of snow fall...that's how he believed in me. He said my name and I was nearly breathless by it all. So...what I did...benefited us both...Anyway...that's how I did it."

The sentry in front of me was activated finally, and I turned to face Jack who's eyes were still closed as he contently enjoyed the breeze. Meanwhile, my heart was hammerin' away in astonishment at the fact that that was how Jack got him to believe in me and by end result, himself. "That's mighty impressive."

"Why, thank you."

"Hmm...hey, not to get off the subject, mate, but what were your hobbies as a human?" I asked bluntly, completely confused as to where that question came from.

"That's a bit random but uh...from the small bits my tooth box showed me...I put on shadow puppet plays for children, went on Easter egg hunts, made sure they were all happy, I liked to climb trees too. You know...after seeing my memories...some are coming back to me. I remember I liked to paint and sketch in my spare time as well as cook."

"Huh...never pegged you as an artist."

"I'll have you know that I put art into every snowflake, frost, and the whether I create."

"Whatever ya say, Frosty."

"Frosty was a snowman, Aster."

"And the difference is?"

"Oh, ha ha ha! Very funny."

I couldn't help but smile to myself as I turned around towards the sentries, feeling proud of my work. "I thought so." I turned back around to Jack who was now walking up to the sentries, using his staff to walk. "So...how do you think we're gonna go about mendin' your soul?"

His amazed expression towards the sentries suddenly dropped as he looked at his bare feet. "I uh..."

"Do you have any idea what could've crushed it other than the staff?"

"I uh...hey, since we're done...if you don't mind, I could cook us lunch."

_'He's purposely avoidin' it. I just trusted him with my name and past, but he can't trust me?'_   I waited for a minute before he finally looked up at me, and I couldn't stop the next words that came out of my mouth as I asked, "What, you can't trust me or somethin'?"

"No!" He shouted a she looked at me with wide and pleading eyes. "It's...it's not that. I just...I don't want to talk about it."

"I can understand that...but you have to at some point if you want to still be believed in." I knew it sounded harsh, but I figure if not for himself, he'd do it for the kids.

"Wait...so those lights don't include me too?"

"Jack, you have to work at it. Yeah, it includes you, but only to an extent."

"I...I think I understand."

"Good..."

"I'll...think about it. Now...about me cooking...?" He smiled up at me sheepishly and I let out a sigh. I was getting hungry too, but I didn't want to cook in all honesty.

"Don't go makin' a mess of everythin'."

"Right..." He replied and slowly walked up to the door. _'Somethin's not right...perhaps something I said?'_   Before I could voice my thought Jack leaned out of the arch and cleared his throat. "Uh...Aster...I can't get in. I don't have paws."

"Oh, right." I walked over and allowed the sentries to roam around outside, and noticed out of the corner of my eye how Jack's sentry was abnormally close to me. Usually the other sentries would wander by now...this one wanted to be nearby. I opened the door, still looking at the frost sentry before looking back at Jack who's shoulders were slumped slightly. _'This is gonna be interesting...'_


	5. A Bit of Light Reading

I set the bag that I was given down onto one of the spare chairs. I eyed it for a moment but then dismissed it. "So, where's the kitchen?"

"Straight ahead. Remember, clean after yourself and no explosions."

"Yeah yeah." He laughed out and walked into the kitchen.

"I'll be in the library if you need me." I told him as I eyed the bag one more time.

"Which is where again?"

"It's the tunnel to the left of your room."

"Oh, okay. I'll be in here then."

"Don't burn the food."

"Just...go stick your nose in a book, Cottontail." He laughed out as he walked further into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'll do that." I grabbed the book out of the bag and made my way towards the library. Once I found my favorite chair I opened up the book to see if there was a table of contents and was pleased to find there was, and there were twenty chapters worth of information on Jack. "Guess we can officially say we can fit everything we know about Jack Frost into a book." I chuckled to myself as I read off the chapters. _'Alright, Chapter One: Eatin' Habits, Chapter Two: Sleepin' Habits, Chapter Three: Hobbies, Chapter Four: Nightmares...wait...Nightmares? I guess...I'll read that later...what else...Chapter Five: Natural Born Gifts...Heh...that'll be an interestin' read...Chapter Six: Jack's Staff...That might be an even more interestin' read if there is a whole chapter on that wooden rod of his...Chapter Seven: Favorite Food, Chapter Eight: Least Favorite Food, Chapter Nine: His Hopes, Chapter Ten: Dreams, Chapter Eleven: What He Finds Wonder and Magic In, Chapter Twelve: Memories, Chapter Thirteen: Powers, Chapter Fourteen: Powers Part two, Chapter Fifteen Powers Part Three...Three whole chapters on his powers alone!? Uh...Let's see...Chapter Sixteen: Poisons...WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT WOMAN!? I...focus Aster...focus...Chapter Seventeen: Wounds, Chapter Eighteen: Burns...wouldn't that go under wounds? Let's see...two more...Chapter Nineteen: Near Death experiences..._ As I read that one my heart nearly stopped. _'He's already died once...what could've happened to him...for there to be a chapter on it?' Tryin' to shake the thought from my head I found myself going wide eyed at the last chapter because it didn't seem to have anything to do solely with him...but both me and him. 'Chapter Twenty: Jack's Best Friend: Easter Bunny.'_   I read it once, twice, Hell, I read it ten times to make sure I wasn't seein' things. However, there it remained as did my look of shock. _'We had only recently gotten along...we constantly fought...how the hell am I his best friend!?'_ As curious as it made me, I was more interested in some of the other chapters like his powers and wounds he's received. I distinctly remember how he himself was shocked at his own display of power after Sandy was killed. "Jacky Boy...what have you been up to these past three hundred years, Mate?"

I looked for the page for the chapter that involved his powers and when I got there, I noticed that unlike the table of contents, all of the words were handwritten. I looked to the first sentence and started to read. _'I have decided that since Jack Frost has visited me so often that I would add a section for his powers. So...without further ado...'_   It drew off into another paragraph. _'FROST: Jack's easiest manipulation of winter is the ability to frost anything he touches with his staff or his fingers. If he touches something with his staff it will create various patterns depending on his moods. If he is angry it creates a jagged and harsh pattern. If he is sad it will frost into small spirals that overlap on one another. If he is happy it comes out into a beautiful fern like pattern. If he is determined it is similar to if he is happy but instead of bursting from the initial point of contact it will burst in all directions from the point of contact. If he is giddy the frost will burst out into large furn like frost spirals and they will overlap each other. If he is scared it will move much like the way it would if he were giddy, but instead, it moves in very thin strands of spiral furn...'_   The subject of what moods his frost reacts with was quite interestin', I'll admit, and I never really noticed before, but either way...just his moods alone went on for about two or three more pages, so I looked for the next thing.

_'THE WIND: Jack came to me a couple of days ago, (From when I'm writing this) and he seemed to be upset. He was sitting on the waterfall near my personal home. He had frozen it solid and practically turned it into a slide for him to go down. I scolded him, telling him that that was not a waterfall's intention and purpose. He asked me what it was, and I told him my opinion of it, but that's beside the point. He was sitting atop it after already sliding down it four times, and at first I thought he was talking to himself when I suddenly realized anytime he seemingly talked to himself, the wind would pick up. Before I could ask about it I heard him call for me atop the waterfall and he said his farewell for the time being and then he shouted and I quote... 'Wind! Take me home!' And the wind around everything that surrounded us began to pick up in such a gleeful way it was hard for me not to notice the slight giggling I always heard from the wind when it surrounded Jack during tough times. Whether he knows that only I am usually the one to control the wind is yet to be seen. I'm just glad that the wind has found a friend in the lonely boy that visits me from late spring to early fall.'_   "Wow...so even Mother Nature was curious about his ability to speak to the wind."

I flipped past a few passages about his powers that basically said things I already knew such as the fact that his mood seems to affect what type of snowfall there is, the different types of ice he can make, a little more about the wind, and there was a long section about the improvement of his frost, and suddenly I was brought to part two of his powers. Deciding I didn't want to read that quite yet, and the nagging at the back of my head still being persistent, I flipped to the chapter about his staff. The first subject gave me a bit of a chuckle. _'FLIGHT: Jack CANNOT fly without his staff. He was playing with one of the eagles when he got distracted and knocked into a sycamore tree, losing his staff. He tried to reach at it frantically, but he couldn't grab it, and obviously, could not fly without it. After he fell, I treated his injuries and we tested it three times with precautionary measures, and he cannot fly without his staff.'_ "Huh...so that's why he was so freaked out when he lost it in mid-air." I continued to read and was stunned speechless at the words before me in the next paragraph. _'THE STAFF'S POWER: Jack's staff acts as a conduit for his powers. A sort of way to channel and keep his powers in control. I have asked Manny about what we have done, not in regret, but in genuine curiosity, and he told me that together...we made Jack the embodiment of winter itself. Even if he doesn't have his staff, he would still be able to walk on water and freeze it instantly, but instead of where he walks with his staff being the only frozen area, he could freeze the entire body of water he stands on if he doesn't have it. Manny has told me that that is why the pond at Burgess is always frozen. When he set Jack back down, he didn't have his staff in hand, therefore freezing the entire pond solid with his own feet. The extent of his power is also shown in the staff when he holds it. Where ever his hands are on the staff is where the staff is frosted over. I've noticed it while he flies in the air much like the very snowflakes he creates. I have also noticed...'_  

Before I could continue I was brought out of the ever intriguing read as Jack entered the library. "Wow, this place is amazing. So, you decided to read the book Mother Nature made about me did you?" He said matter of factly as if I wasn't just invading his privacy, but really in a way I wasn't, because it was given to me by Mother Nature herself...so why did it feel that way? A question I would have to ask later.

"Yeah...thought I might see what she had said about you...I uh..."

He walked over and looked over my shoulder. "Oh, you're reading about my staff...yeah...she thought it particularly peculiar."

"Why is that?"

"Well...none of the other seasonal spirits need conduits. None of the others need tools to channel their power's raw energy or to keep it in check."

"Have you used your powers without your staff since we all got together?"

"Yes." He answered honestly as he continued to read over my shoulder. "Right there...read there." I looked to where he was pointing and it was surprisingly where I had left off. _'I have also noticed that when he is visiting me, yet is still lonely, he will frost one of the windows on my home using his staff, but then he sets his staff aside to draw small animals in the frost. I have seen it I don't know how many times, and it impresses me to no end that the images start to blink and run around ON the window pane. HOWEVER, just the other day I watched him do it again as he drew a small squirrel. I walked closer as my curiosity got the better of me, as it always does with my little frost child, and he cupped his hands together taking in a deep breath, and I physically felt the power change in the air as he turned himself into the conduit of his energetic power. The squirrel jumped out of the window pane and onto Jack's hands, and for the first time in many many years, I was speechless. Then, the small animal vanished without any further movement in a puff of snow, and I heard a light laugh coming from him.'_   Once he figured I had read it, he cleared his throat and stood up straight. "That's how I made the frost bunny come to life. I had been working on it for nearly a century now. About a decade ago though...I gave up."

"What was the point of it?"

"Honestly, nothing. It happened by accident if you could believe it. I frosted the window pane of a grumpy old business man as a joke, I set my staff down, and I drew a pig...for his attitude towards the children...I thought nothing of it and I was content in the fact that it freaked him out quite a bit...but then I saw it blink and move slightly, which then made me freaked out quite a bit. I went to Mother Nature and told her about it, and she told me I was just seeing things...that is...until she caught me practicing...regularly. Then, one day...I actually managed to pull the frost animal from the window pane. Nothing came of it a full decade after that squirrel so I gave up. Then, Jamie was about to not believe in you anymore...and since I had tried everything else BUT the frost animal to get him to notice something I do...I figured I would try it one more time. I Hoped with all my heart that it would work, and to my immense surprise it did, and he believed in you again. That's all I wanted, and then the frost bunny exploded into a puff of snow...then instead of the snow simply subsiding...it kept snowing in Jamie's room...and then he said my name."

"So...you don't need your staff...not really..."

"No I can do some things without it, like the frost animals...and apparently I'm really good at it now or perhaps that was a lucky break but um..." He sighed, and I felt my brow furrow at the reluctant expression on his face. "...I do need it. It does exactly what she says. It channels my energy and my power so that I don't hurt anyone or make anything too cold...like the pond...and it's a part of who I am...Remember what you and the others assumed about my staff when you watched the memory?"

"That you're connected to your staff. Yeah, I remember..."

"Okay, well you all were right and even Mother Nature said it had quite the told on me...it's because...I guess it's a bit hard to explain...but it's like the other half of me. Not the other half of my life...but the other half of everything I am. My heart, soul, hopes, wants, dreams, everything...and hey...remember what you told me it looked like when I gave Pitch the staff?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, like I told you then as well...I felt like a completely different person, but unlike you...I didn't mean my personality. I felt...empty. I knew I didn't want Baby Tooth to get hurt by him, but I was hollow inside. It was the coldest I had ever felt in my entire life, and I'm a winter spirit for crying out loud."

I looked at him wide eyed at his words. _'Mother Nature hasn't told him! She hasn't told him that he's not merely a spirit of winter...he IS winter! Am I supposed to tell him?'_   Shakin' that thought away for another day I simply nodded my head and looked at him with concerned eyes. "So...it would almost be the equivalent of my Warren bein' blown to oblivion...I hold a connection with it as well...it also holds some plants from my old world...so..."

"Then I suppose it would be the same." He stated simply with another sigh. "Hey, enough of this depressing stuff...Lunch is ready."

"What did you make?"

"Vegetable and mushroom stew. Mother Nature used to make it for me when I didn't feel well. Not sick didn't feel well...but when I was...I dunno...depressed I guess. Let's go eat!"

"R-Right behind you, Frostbite." I told him as he smiled and left the library. _'Just how much do we not know about him...and why AM I the one to know all of it...why AM I the last chapter!? How are we gonna mend his soul if he doesn't open up...?'_ I had so many questions but not even a second to ask them because another question just kept barrelin' after the other. Somehow, I got a very bad feelin' that this wasn't goin' to go as easy as any of us hoped.


	6. Forgiveness and Surprising Truths

Once we made it up to the dinin' room, that was right next to the kitchen, I was taken back as I noticed that the bowls and silverware were already out as well as two cups of tea. "Who knew Jack Frost knew how to set a table." I stated as I sat in my chair which was across from where Jack had chosen to set his bowl.

"Well, it helps when you're taught how to by Mother Nature." He replied as he sat down in his own chair. "I had already put the food in the bowls...as you could probably tell."

"I can..." I answered honestly as I took a bite of the stew he made, and was instantly surprised when I realized just how good it tasted. "...seems like you can cook."

Jack chuckled as he swallowed his own bite. "There's a lot I can do, Aster. I just don't talk about it."

"Uh huh...so I've noticed. You do know...we're eventually gonna have to talk about what shattered your soul."

"I...I know."

"Jack...you've been trying your damndest to avoid the subject."

"I know..." He stated slowly as he set his spoon down. He looked at his own bowl for a contemplative minute before looking at me. "You're not going to wait for tomorrow are you?"

"Don't think I can, mate. I have an entire book I could read if I need to, but nothing in there will tell me what hurt you so badly to the point of being half human and half spirit...not to mention...you're wantin' to be way too helpful. You've been like this since..." My ears shot up at the realization, and then they immediately rested against the back of my head as I realized what or rather who may have been a contributing factor. "...Easter...It's because of what we did...wasn't it...?"

"I...I never meant to..." He looked up at me in panic and I immediately looked down to my food. I couldn't look him the eye as everythin' came rushing back to me. He was gone, we couldn't wait, we went to the surface, something felt wrong in my very soul, I went to the Warren and the nightmares were practically overrunnin' the Warren, I gathered up as many googies as I could and put them in a basket, I went to the closest surface, they couldn't see me, I felt so much heartbreak, Jack came back, I heard North shout at him that he was with Pitch, I felt the anger boil in my very blood, I raised my fist to him sayin' we should have never trusted him, and I did nothing...said nothin'...to allow him to explain. I never apologized either. When I looked up I heard the door that led back outside close with a rushed slam.

"That damn Galah! He probably thinks I'm still pissed off!" As much as I wanted to finish the food he had made, I found that my feet were moving on their own as soon as I noticed that Jack had left his staff behind. I ran out the door and saw no sign of him. "Where the hell?" I muttered to myself. "Jack, where are ya! We have to talk!"

"There's nothing to talk about!" My eyes went wide as I heard his voice come from everywhere and nowhere as the wind suddenly picked up in the Warren. _'How the hell is he doing that!?'_   I thought to myself, but I squashed it down to the fact he probably got help from the wind. "Jack! Where are you? Just let me..."

"No, Bunny, there's nothing to explain. There's nothing to talk about. I..."

"I was wrong!" I shouted to the air.

"You...you what? No...you had every right to be mad I..."

"It wasn't your fault." I said to the air once more, hating how pitiful my voice sounded.

"What do you mean?" I heard him ask, and this time I could tell he was in the tree next to my home. _'How in the hell did he get way up there without flyin'!?'_  

"Tooth...she explained when we looked at your memories...that you couldn't resist but be pulled towards your memories..."

"I couldn't..." He stated as he jumped out of the tree, and there was more than a flicker of panic that shot through my heart as he fell out of the tree on purpose but it quickly morphed into shock and wonder when Jack landed more gracefully than he should've without his staff. He landed so lightly it was as if he had just jumped off of a fence or something, rather than a tree that stood more than a hundred feet tall. "...Once I heard her voice...all I could think of was how familiar and at home that voice seemed to me. It was like I had two minds fighting each other at once. One screaming at me to get back to you all, and the other whispering gently that I needed to go find out what or who it was. I noticed that even my flying was different as I went towards it. It was more leveled and gentle...I never fly like that...not if I can help it..."

"Jack...it wasn't your fault."

"It was though...wasn't it? I should've had better control over myself." He started walking towards me and I towards him until we were standing in front of each other.

"No, Jack it wasn't. You were pulled by a force you couldn't fight, and if you really think about it, it's a good thing that it happened."

"Oh?" He asked as he looked up at me.

"Yeah, you found Tooth's fairies."

"I guess...but Easter was still..."

"Yeah, we lost Easter...but we also lost something just as important."

"What would that be?" "We lost a friend. It may have only been for a little bit, but we lost you and it was our fault. We were meant to guide you and listen to you. Not force you to be by yourself again and ignore you. I...I'm...I'm more to blame than the others. I never should have said we shouldn't have trusted you without hearin' you out first, and I certainly never should've raised a fist to you. Jack Frost...I'm sorry."

"Y-You're really sorry?" He asked me, and I could feel it in the air how his hope had increased exponentially.

"Even if you didn't want me to feel sorry...I do, and yes I really am sorry for how I treated you. It was no way to act."

Almost without warning Jack lunged forward and gave me a hug much in a similar way that Jamie had given him just before we left. "Thank you, Aster."

"Y-You're welcome." I stuttered out while I was still in shock from the hug. Then, I heard him scream in agony as he clutched my fur. "Jack!? What's wrong!?" He was still clutching to me when I felt it. His heart stopped, and he fell to the ground. "Jack! Jack! Wake up Jack!" I shouted as tried to shake him awake, but then I soon noticed he wasn't breathing either. "No..." I said shakily as I continued to see the color drain from his face. "Mother Nature! Get here now!" I shouted knowing that she would hear me since I am surrounded by nothing but nature.

Suddenly a flurry of leaves appeared to my left and she rushed out with worried eyes. "Bunny, what's happened?"

"I...I apologized for how I treated him at Easter...and I told him it wasn't his fault but mine...he told me thank you...and he just...he collapsed...and his heart...and his breath..." I couldn't breathe as I frantically and desperately tried to tell her what had happened. Her eyes went wide as she looked from me to Jack.

She took out a small blade from her sleeve and held it up to his mouth, and there was just a faint fog on it. "He's still breathing, but barely! Go get the book I gave you! We must go to my home. He has a room there built for him during the warmer seasons. Go!" Without needin' to be told twice I darted inside my home, grabbed the book, and darted out to meet her. Just as I was about to say somethin' my eyes went wide and my breathing hitched slightly as I saw something that no one has ever seen. Mother Nature was cryin' as she carried Jack in her arms. "We must get him home." She told me as she lifted her hand, makin' a flurry of leaves and snow circle around us.

Almost in an instant we were brought into a bright room that was beautiful to say the least. It was large, large enough for five Pookas to live in certainly and the ground was made out of the softest grass I had ever felt, and it was so lush and green it was almost unbelievable. The walls were made of frosted oak, there was a large dresser in the corner, no doubt filled with clothes she had made for him, and his bed was huge. It was a king sized bed made out of the same lush green grass beneath my feet, and there were soft plush blankets on the bed. The ceiling above was wavin' in the breeze as it seemed to be the underneath side of the tops of trees. The sound was beautiful and if I were to be honest, reminded me of home. Drawn out of my amazement, I watched as Mother Nature carefully set Jack down on the bed. "So...this is where he lives?"

"No...sadly enough..."

"What do you mean? This room is amazing!"

"He comes here and visits me as I said...from late Spring to early Fall...but he doesn't live here. He has no home." She stated with the look of a mother gazing at her sick son as she carefully brushed a hand through his hair. "I have told him he could call this place home...he has told me it was more than he could ever hope for, and that that was why he couldn't accept the offer. He had been told many times through the years how he was a nuisance or a menace or unwanted or...if you could believe it...evil...and he didn't want me to be known as the spirit that housed such a creature. What he didn't know was that I would've been more than happy to even if others said horrible things about me. There was also the fact that he had no believers and every single day during every winter he tried something to get them to at the very least hear him. I couldn't offer him any guidance because Manny told me not to. We had a year long fight over that, and by year long I mean neither of us slept for a year as we fought about it..."

"What ended the fight?" I asked curiously as I noticed the bed seemed to be healing Jack somehow. His breathing got better and I could finally see the rise and fall of his chest.

"He...um..." Suddenly the ceiling separated to reveal the full moon above us. His beams shined onto Mother Nature and she gasped in shock at whatever he told her and she nodded her head. "He says I can tell you...but you have to promise that you keep it to yourself and never mention it to Jack or the other guardians until Manny or I tell them."

"How...how important is it?"

"Extremely. I can't tell you if you don't swear..." She took her blade out once more and pricked the middle of her palm. "Swear to me, Aster, that you will keep your word not to breath a word of what I am about to tell you until your peers know as well."

"Y-You want me to make a blood oath? It can't possibly be that serious!"

"It is and I do! Unless you don't want to know." I looked at her bleedin' palm and then at Jack who seemed to be merely sleeping now.

_'If Manny said it was important...and that she can only tell me for now...I suppose I should...even though I can't tell Jack what it is...despite it involvin' him.'_   I let out a heavy and frustrated sigh as I held out my paw. She pricked it and shook my paw with her bleedin' palm. I felt the quick surge of power enter and leave me as my paw was healed with her symbol resting where she had pricked it. "So what is it? What finally ended a year long feud between you and Manny?"

"He told me who Jack really is." She answered with a look of relief at finally being able to tell someone.

"Well...that's ridiculous!" I shouted with mock laughter. "He's Jack Frost! Before that, he was a human named Jack..."

"No...he wasn't...at least not always."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember the battle that you and the others fought together in your attempt to take down Pitch, and it was the battle that was won that time?"

"Yeah...there were more of us, but yeah, I remember. We took him down, but then he rose up again during the dark ages, then we took him down again...he rose up again and we just recently took him down...why...what does that have to do with Jack?"

"Well, he was there." She stated and I forgot how to breathe.

My heart was beatin' so fast I'm sure she could hear it, and my mind was running rampant with questions. Deciding on one I stuttered out weakly, "H-How w-was J-Jack there during t-the b-battle? He...H-He wasn't even born yet...h-he wasn't e-even an i-idea then."

"Ah..." She said givin' me a knowin' smile. "But he was. He was Manny's body guard when Manny was just a baby. He was the most trusted and valiant companion of Manny himself. He was Manny's guardian just as you and your friends are the guardians of the children of Earth. It was his actions that led Manny to want to be the first guardian of the children of Earth."

"Y-You can't be...He can't be..." My breath came back, but it did so at fully force and I felt myself grow dizzy. Then suddenly, darkness overcame my vision.

When I next woke up, I was no longer in Jack's room, but in another room. It looked much like my own personal room back in the Warren, but it wasn't. I could feel it wasn't. "Are you alright, Aster? You fainted...you've been out for about three hours. Don't worry...Jack is still sleeping...but are you alright?"

"Jack...he..." Then the whole of the events came crashin' back to me like a tidal wave. My eyes went wide once more and I felt myself grow cold and if I could, I'm sure I would be as pale as Jack usually is. "Y-You can't be serious...He...H-He can't possibly...t-there's no way...what you're s-saying...he...he's actually..."

"Yes, Aster...Jack Frost was originally Nightlight."

"But I thought...I-I thought he...I thought h-he died..."

"No. He risked his life, that's for certain...but he eventually fell to Earth and his once beautiful white hair and green eyes faded to brown. He had no memory of ever being Nightlight. Eventually there was a small family that took him in as their own, and that was where he gained a human mother and a human little sister. They gave him the name Jackson Overland Frost, and he accepted it gladly considering for the longest time, he had no idea who he was."

"Wait, but what about Jack's teeth! They had to come from somewhere I..."

"I made his teeth as well, and a look alike of what he would've looked like as a child. I placed some small childhood memories in there, but a lot of his real memories as well. The fairies didn't notice a difference because I enchanted it that way. Once Manny asked me to help raise Jack from the pond and with how it was the first time something like him has happened...I figured...just in case...so I broke into Tooth's palace, took an empty canister, painted on it, and put some of my magic into it so that Jack would seem as if he's always been Jack...even as a human."

"Y-You...you mean t-to tell me t-that...Jack...w-who is sleeping...is actually...he really is...Nightlight? H-How..."

"Like I said...after the battle...he was knocked to Earth and he lost everything of who he was, even his appearance...His staff ended up in my garden after he landed and at first I thought the same thing...That Nightlight had died...but...then Manny told me he hasn't...and everything else happened...I still have his staff...his original staff."

"J-Jack is Nightlight?" I asked again, still unprepared to even try and believe that it was even a possibility.

"Yes, he is, Aster...You're having a very difficult time accepting this...I wonder how the others will react when they eventually know."

"You can't exactly blame me! I mean...I...oh dear moon...I...I raised my fist to Nightlight...I told him we should never have trusted him I...he was...and when we lost Sandy...oh..." A feelin' of burning realization coursed through my entire body. "That explains so much..."

"I'm sure it does...but remember...you raised your fist to Jack, not to Nightlight. That is the true reality of it, because he was still Jack Frost...it's just...he used to be Nightlight. Now...Nightlight is still in his heart and soul...but he is buried very deep within."

"A-And I can't tell him who he really is...or was...is?"

"He is still Nightlight...but he is mostly Jack Frost, and no...you swore, remember? Treat him as you always have, or at the very least try your best."

"I...and how exactly am I supposed to that!?" I shouted as I fully sat up and gaped at her with wide eyes. "He was Manny's guardian! He inspired Manny to become a guardian for all of the children of Earth and then Manny later enlisted our help and started The Guardians in the first place...because of him! How am I supposed to treat him like I have been! I always just thought he was a brat that liked to cause trouble! How am I...?"

"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to find that out. He's waking up, and he'll want to know what happened. Let's go."

"Wait, before we do...I have to ask...why were you cryin' earlier?"

"Oh, I wasn't aware that you saw...well...to be honest...it always happens when he gets injured or hurt or close to death...I can't really explain it except...motherly pain."

"Do you feel that way about all your spirit children?"

"No, unfortunately. They don't visit me often enough for me to. They visit maybe four times every decade or so to see what has changed...the only other times I see them is if I summon them, and I don't usually do that. I like to let them find their own way, so I don't usually contact them unless I really have to."

"And...Jack is different...how?"

"Well...for one thing...I never sought him out, and he had no idea the roll I had in his powers so I knew he didn't want anything from me like my other children would. He met me on accident."

"Accident?"

"Yeah...he was just walking around and stumbled upon me in Ireland. He asked me who I was and how I was able to see him. I told him my name and what I do. This was about fifty years after he was created as Jack Frost. We had a lovely conversation, he told me who he was with a proper introduction, and he told me what he knew he could do so far. He had also told me that no one could see him and other spirits he thought could see him, paid him no mind. I told him I would love to see him again, and invited him to my home. I put a small enchantment in his staff so that he would always be able to go there in an instant just in case. I never expected to see him as often as I did after that...so...he's quite special to me. It had become more than just merely having a spirit child that I had a hand in creating...it has actually begun to feel like as if he truly is my child. The day he called me Mother...sealed that feeling almost immediately as if it were in stone. So...like I said...when he gets hurt...either physical or emotional...I find myself acting like a real human mother would over her child...and I can't help it."

"Wow...I had no idea..." I felt shock in my heart as my eyes were wide with wonder.

"I haven't told anyone that until now. Not even Jack. Speaking of which...we really should get to him."

"Right..." I followed her down the many hallways of her 'home' which was more like a large fortress made of plants and trees and different seasons, then we finally made it to Jack's room.

She didn't knock or anythin', not that she would need to I suppose, but she pushed the door right open and I noticed a wide smile on her face. "Hello, Jack." I heard her say with such motherly affection that I could see clearly that everythin' she had just told me about her feelin' like a real mother to Jack, was all completely true. I walked through and noticed that Jack was sittin' up and his hair was slowly turnin' back to white. It was at that moment that I was startin' to see the similarities between Nightlight and Jack Frost. If I were to be honest, I was still having a rather hard time acceptin' the fact that they are the same person, and a part of me wanted to deny it, because that meant that the guardians...that we all had left him on his own for MiM knows how long. That is...until Manny and Mother Nature decided to turn him into Jack Frost after he died a mortal death.

"H-How did I get here?" He asked as he started to stand.

"You had a heart attack, Jack...in Bunny's arms." She stated bluntly yet with kindness in her heart. "I...I what?"

"You will find that you no longer have a heart beat and..."

"No...I still have a heart beat..."

"You what?"

"Here, feel..." He stated as he walked towards us.

She did as he asked and her eyes widened. "Well, it seems that you have a heart beat now, Jack. Congratulations." She stated with a proud smile. "We will need to see if this effects your powers in any way...but we will worry about that later. The fact is, you did have a heart attack in Bunny's arms and gave him quite the scare."

I inched closer into the room, not sure what to say to Jack anymore now that I know who he really is, not only to Mother Nature herself, but in general, and thankfully, I didn't have to worry about that for a little bit. "Sorry about that, Cottontail. Didn't mean to scare ya any..." He smiled at me, and again I couldn't say anything so I simply nodded as he turned to face Mother Nature. "So, does this mean that I mended my soul?"

She gave a thoughtful look at Jack, who's hair was changin' more into it's well known snowy color. She held up a hand to his core and it glowed with golden light. Once she drew her hand back she hummed lightly before lettin' out a short sigh. "You mended the most painful area of your soul...I take it...you know who has harmed your sou?"

"Yes...Bunny was the worst...but he forgave me...and I forgive him." He quickly said to reassure me, although I doubt anythin' could at this point. My mind was havin' to sift through all of the banter and insults and harsh words I had given him, and then it kept going back to Mother Nature's and Manny's request to not say anythin'...and to act like I didn't know anythin'...which frankly seemed impossible at this point.

"Well...then I suggest you talk to the others who have injured your soul. I'm sure the guardians would love to know that they are the cause for this."

"You...how did you know?" He asked, and I was startin' to get tired of not being able to speak, but what do you say to someone who you thought was dead for SO long and then you realize they're alive and they were someone you already knew for only a couple of centuries, and they have no memory of bein' that other person? What do you say to the person who was created and charged with protecting Manny himself? I had no idea, so I let them continue.

"Well, you haven't exactly been spending time with anyone else that would affect you that much."

"Right...I guess that makes sense." Jack sighed as he nodded, goin' back to sit on his bed. Once he was comfortable sittin' cross legged on his bed he looked at me with a curious expression. "You alright, Bunny? You look like you've seen a ghost...and you haven't said much."

"Ghost?" I asked with wide eyes, and I caught a small but noticeable glare from Mother Nature. "W-Well...you uh..." I started. "...like she said...you did give me quite the scare, mate. Your heart stopped and I thought you had stopped breathin'..." I gave him a slight smile, feelin' both awkward and relieved that I found my ability to speak.

"Yeah...sorry about that. I didn't expect that. Well...uh..." He looked around the room and spread his arms wide with a heavy sigh. "Welcome to my room at Mother Nature's castle. I stay here from time to time...especially when she smothers me with motherly love, and when she's not doing that...we're experimenting with my powers and resistance."

"Why resistance? I saw a chapter on poisons..." "

Good question." Jack stated with a curious expression as he looked at Mother Nature. "Why did we do all those poison tests...you never told me."

"Because you are precious, Jack. Not just to the guardians or to the children, but to me and Manny as well. I wanted to make sure there wasn't a way for anyone to hurt you and if you were susceptible to any types of poisons I would've given you something enchanted to nullify what you would've reacted to...and since your reactions weren't life threatening I don't think there's reason to make you anything yet."

"Oh, okay. Well...I guess that answers that question." He laughed out with wide eyes. I found myself lookin' around Jack's room, and was continuously reminded that this is where he stayed every now and then, but like Mother Nature said, he had no home, and she made the offer, but he refused. That bothered me, and I knew for a fact it wasn't because he's really Nightlight. He was still a child and immortally so, and has been for three hundred years. I looked at him and he seemed to be thinkin' about somethin', so I figured I would hold off the question that was in the front of my mind until later.

"What ya thinkin' 'bout, Frostbite?" I asked with genuine curiosity which only grew as he seemed to jump at my question.

"Erm...nothing?" I crossed my arms and gave him a pointed look, which seemed to be the ticket to the answer because he rubbed the front of his forehead with a small sigh. "I was wondering...what to do now. I mean...about getting the other guardians to help...and...I guess I was thinking about finding a place to, in fact, call home...since I don't consider this place my home. No offence, Mother Nature..."

"None taken, my little snowflake. I wish for your happiness and growth. Just...if you do find the home you're looking for, don't forget that you are always more than welcome here and this will always be your room."

"Thank you, Mother." He gave her a small smile and I noticed quickly at how his words caused a bright and warm smile to appear on Mother Nature's face.

"Yes well...you're quite welcome, Jack." She nodded her head and looked out his window.

Before she could say anythin' else and before I lost the nerve to do so, I cleared my throat and got their attention. "Ya know...since ya like the Warren so much...and I've already trusted you with my name...you could call the Warren home, if you wanted to."

"I...I could!? Are you sure, Aster!?" My heart pounded in my chest with both guilt and relief at the fact that he was so excited at my offer.

"W-Well, if you want to anyway. The Warren is huge and I figure...since you do apparently try to show some restraint and ya have more manners than I thought...it wouldn't be too bad to have a good friend of mine livin' in the Warren with me if that good friend is you. Besides...you can't really freeze anythin' completely solid there, so it's actually kinda perfect for ya."

"I...I would appreciate that very much. Thanks Bunny." This was all very out of place to me, and his gratitude was both expected and unexpected. If someone had asked me yesterday if I was willin' to house the winter spirit Jack Frost, I would've laughed in their face as I continuously threw boomerangs at them for their idiocy. However, after the whole Pitch incident, everythin' changed.

Before I could tell him 'you're welcome' Mother Nature smiled softly at both of us. "Well...we should probably test those powers of yours right, Jack?"

"Yeah, I'd like that...could I spar with Bunny? I think it would be fun." And just like that I was brought back to the fact that Jack was really Nightlight and he wanted to spar with me.

"What would ya wanna spar with me for, mate?"

"I just gave my reason, Cottontail. I think it would be fun, and plus, you would make a good opponent. Don't worry, Mother Nature has plenty of things that'll heal any wounds I may give you."

"Well, I think it would be an excellent idea, Aster." She looked at me, and I swear if looks could kill I wouldn't have to worry about bein' the last Pooka anymore.

"Well, since Mother Nature is givin' me such a menacin' look...I guess I have no choice." I glared back at her as I was startin' to get really pissed that I made a blood oath to keep such a huge secret from everyone includin' Jack, whom it involved.

"Who me?" She inquired while feigning ignorance. It died quickly though as an amused smile replaced the dramatic one. "Go and show him the training grounds, Jack. I will watch and record your progress."

"Of course you will..."

"Wait, why are ya gonna record his progress?" I asked quickly.

"He is one of a kind, Aster." She gave me a knowing look and I understood what it meant instantly. The look combined with the words said more than either would alone. She was basically telling me, _'He is one of a kind, Aster. He is Nightlight. He is Jackson Overland Frost. He is Jack Frost. He is an immortal child. He is a guardian. He and his powers are unique. He himself is unique because he is the only being that has ever been made by myself and Manny together. He is also the embodiment of winter and if anything should happen, progress needs to be recorded as reference in case of emergencies.'_   Then, I soon realized it wasn't that I understood. She had sent the whole thought to my mind. I always hated it when she did that. It always gives me a headache.

"Yeah...he is..." I agreed with a defeated groan and noticed the triumphant smirk on her lips. "Alright...lead the way, Jack."


	7. The Blizzard of '68

Once we made it to what was obviously the trainin' grounds, if the practice dummies and targets were any indication, I heard Jack let out a reminiscent laugh. "Oh, this place brings back memories..."

"I bet..." I replied as I noticed that Mother Nature had taken a seat on a comfortable looking bench made out of cedar wood. "So...who did you usually spar with?"

"Ah well...Mother Nature usually or one of the dummies she brought to life."

"Oh, no pressure then." I stated with a scoff as I looked at the woman herself lookin' rather smug.

"Jack...I want you to try sparring without your staff." She told him in a manner that resembled a mother tellin' her child to clean their room.

"You want me to WHAT!?"

"In all the decades I've known you, you have never once had bad hearing. So, I know you heard me, young man. Do as I say, please."

"Yes, Ma'am." He groaned out and handed her his staff. "Much better. Now, start how ever you wish, and remember...although I caution restraint..."

"...Testing my limits is always required."

"Glad to see you remember." He walked back over to stand in front of me and I noticed how every step seemed to freeze the ground beneath him, but since we were in Mother Nature's domain, it melted quickly.

"Bunny, I'm gonna warn ya now...I have no idea how this is gonna go."

"Fine with me, mate. So...are we doin' magic for magic then? I'll give Mother Nature my boomerangs since you gave her your staff. Fair fight, yeah?"

"That would be great but um...how are ya gonna take me down with a couple of flowers?" He grinned mischievously at me as I walked over to hand her my weapons along with their holster.

Once I walked back over to where I was standin' I smirked as I felt the connection in the earth, the plant life, the sun, and the wind. I focused on Jack's legs and I clapped my paws together once as I inwardly commanded vines to come up from the ground and wrap around his legs, knocking him off balance. "Who said anythin' about flowers?" I asked once he landed on his backside. I made the vines go back into the ground with another clap and allowed Jack to stand up once more. He gaped at me in shock and then began laughin'.

"Why have you never used that before? I mean...you have power over nature? I knew your Warren was one thing but..."

"Because, it's not a toy, Jack."

"Why didn't you use it against Pitch?"

"I used it against his nightmares when they were in my tunnels. When we were facin' up against him, I didn't need to because my boomerangs are enchanted and there were far less nightmares after Jamie and his friends changed them into dream sand."

"I think I get it...does the fact we were in a city also have something to do with it?"

"Right ya are, Jacky. I can summon my sentries from the tunnels from just about anywhere on Earth, but unless I feel nature around me...like in my Warren or here...I can't do much." I shrugged and gave him another smirk. "Your move, Frostbite." His eyes darkened with mischief and his grin upturned into a wicked smirk as he lifted his left foot and slid it side ways on the ground towards me, causin' ice to go up my legs much in the same way my vines did to him. "Crikey! That's cold!" I tapped my bracer against the ice twice and it melted instantly.

"You...you can melt my ice?" He questioned with a slight squeak in his voice. "Let me guess...enchanted bracelets?"

" _Bracers_ and yes. You seem to be catchin' on. Now granted, they're lousy when I visit North, because none of that ice and snow has any magic in it, it's just the North Pole for ya, but they keep me warm...mostly." I chuckled lightly as I still felt the coldness from the ice. "Could you always do that without your staff?"

"No. I just wanted to do what you did to me and my body kind of took over. It' s what happens when I don't have my staff...it's like my body knows what to do...as if it's already been trained to do it, and instead of my staff being the conduit of my energy and magic...my legs, feet, arms, and hands are."

 _'Because you're Nightlight and you naturally know how to fight.'_   I mentally thought to myself and instantly I felt somethin' thump me in the head. I turned around and looked at the ground to find a peach. I looked up at Mother Nature and she was glarin' at me. "What the Hell!?"

"Keep those thoughts to yourself!" She growled at me.

"They were to myself ya eavesdropper!"

"Wait...she can hear thoughts?"

"You've spent all this time with her and she never told you that?"

"No...she didn't." His face paled.

"Yes, Jack...I have heard quite a few of the remarks you would unwittingly send my way. I have also heard what you truly think of the guardians when you're here.

"Why didn't you tell me!?"

"If I did, you would never visit again." Jack moved to say somethin' but he quickly closed his mouth and sighed. "Tell me I'm wrong." She challenged.

"You're not wrong." He groaned out and gave me an irritated aide glance.

"I rarely am, my little snowflake. Now...I believe it's Bunny's turn. However...it would probably go a lot faster if both of you took it seriously and genuinely sparred."

"What do ya mean take is seriously?" I asked with anger and irritation mixing around in my core.

"Both of you are holding back. Both of you are afraid to hurt the other...keep in mind that you are in the domain of the greatest healer there is. Oh, and Jack...don't try and lie to me...you deliberately tried to force your powers down...you have to let them loose so you can properly know what you are capable of. Otherwise..."

"...otherwise I can seriously hurt someone."

"Exactly. It's good to know one's limits."

"I couldn't agree more." I immediately went after him as I ran on all fours to get around him and pushed him forward into the ground. I was about to clap my paws to have the vines once again in my control but I soon felt an icy chill around both paws. I held them up, and they were encased in ice.

"Seems I have quite a bit of power left, old friend." Jack smirked as he made to stand up, but I returned his smirk as I tapped my foot once against the ground and knocked him over once more by making the ground shift beneath his own feet.

 _'Old Friend?'_   I felt somethin' shift in my emotions, but I pushed it down as I smirked at him and shook my head. "It seems so, mate." I tapped the bracers together and the ice melted again. Before I could make another move I watched the mischievous glint in his eye return as he slammed his right hand down on the ground, causing ice to form from his hand and to my feet. _'Really, this again?'_ I thought to myself, but then I felt something puncture the back of my shoulder, and it came through to the other side painfully. "ARG! DAMMIT!" I shouted as I clutched my shoulder that now had a sharp spire if ice going through it. I felt the blood seep into my fur and I looked around to find Jack so I could pay him back, but what I saw pierced me more painfully than the ice through my shoulder. In front of me, still on a patch of green grass, he stared at his hands as if he had committed murder. Suddenly, the wind picked up and it started snowing, and in a matter of seconds it turned into a full on blizzard. "Jack!" I tried to shout above the wind which was now circlin' madly around Jack as he continued to stare at his hands. I inched as much as I could on the ice that was still beneath my feet when I realized that the spire was connected to it. I reached behind me and kicked the ice, snappin' the ice just enough to where I could move without removin' it and losin' more blood. "Jack, what are you doin'!?" I asked as I tried to move closer, but the wind combined with the cold air was startin' to bite through my fur and into my skin. The closer I got, the more I noticed that the ice that was underneath my feet was starting to creep up his own legs. "Oh no ya don't, ya damn drongo!" I lunged forward and yanked Jack to his feet with as much strength as I could muster before the ice became a difficulty, and I embraced him without even thinking about it. The blizzard started to subside, but it was still snowing quite a bit. "Jack?" I asked once the soft snowfall was all that was left.

"I...I only meant to tap you on the shoulder with it...or just to poke you. I didn't mean..."

"It's okay, Jack. That's why we're sparrin', yeah?" I pulled out of the hug and stepped back just a bit. "I would rather ya do that to me than one of the little ankle-biters. I'm durable and have access to magic...them...not so much."

Jack's face morphed into one of horror again as he looked at his hands once more before he looked back at me. He nodded his head in full understanding and had a grateful look in his eyes. "You're right. Thanks, Aster."

"You're welcome." I told him with a smile which left as quickly as it came when I was instantly reminded that something was pierced straight through me. "Now..." I grunted out. "I think we can safely say...you won this match...I need to go see Mother Nature before...I bleed out."

"Oh...here..." Jack said as he stepped towards me. He yanked out the ice spire and I felt even more in pain as blood started gushing out.

"What the hell Ja-?" Before I could finish, Jack had quickly placed his left hand against the front of the open wound and his right hand over the back of the wound. I felt a chillin' yet relieving power course through the wound.

When he took his hands away he chuckled lightly and patted me on the back. "There, that should take care of you until Mother Nature can heal you."

"Huh?" I asked dumbly. I looked at where the wound was and noticed there was a transparent patch of ice coating my shoulder on both sides. The blood was frozen solid inside the ice, and he must've numbed everything there, because I felt no pain. "Huh...would ya look at that. Thanks, Frostbite." He simply nodded at me, and we made our way to Mother Nature who wore a proud smile at not just Jack, but me as well, and I couldn't help but smile back for some reason.

"Thank you, Aster, for helping Jack, and also for that wonderful sparring session. Now I have new information in both of your books."

"Wait!" I held up a paw and tilted my head down in disbelief. "You're tellin' me, you have a book on me too?"

"Of course I do. I have a book on all of the spirits that have some sort of connection to nature. That way if anything should happen, I'm prepared for whatever may come my way."

"Makes sense I suppose. So um...about my wound...?"

"Ah right...follow me. Jack, you can roam about or continue training. It's your choice, but do not come to your room. I must speak with Aster alone."

"Alright...but you're being rather secretive...how do you know I won't just ask the wind to tell me what you've said? How do you know I won't climb the wall? I can do that you know."

"Because if you do, I will make your life a living hell. Do you understand me, Jack Frost?" Jack said nothing, but merely gaped at both of us in shock. "Do I need to remind you of what happened when you ruined my garden back in the late 1800's?"

Jack straightened up immediately and I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. "No, Ma'am. I'm just gonna go practice. Let me know when I'm allowed in my room." I gave them both an extremely confused glance before followin' after Mother Nature, and for some reason I felt like this was gonna be a long conversation about the sparrin' session that just happened.

**_oOoOoOoOoOo_ **

She hadn't said anythin' since we got into Jack's room. Not when she melted the ice and put a salve on it, used her magic, and healed the wound. Not when she put away her supplies. Not when she sewed up the wound that was now no more than a six inch scar in my fur, and not when she finally sat back down and crossed her arms as she glared at me. Unable to take the silence, I let out a heavy and frustrated sigh. "Are you gonna say anythin'? You said you needed to talk to me alone. So...we're alone...say somethin'."

"You held back, Aster." She scolded as she glared daggers into my soul.

"I..."

"Why? I heard your thoughts. You were excited about not having to hold back. What happened? What changed? Is it because of who he is?"

My eyes widened a bit at her words. She was right after all, but that didn't make it any better. "I didn't...it's not because of Nightlight. It was because of him."

"I don't quite follow."

"It sounds ridiculous but when he called me 'old friend' it held more meaning than just Peter Cottontail, Cottontail, Rabbit...or any of the other nicknames he's given me...It sounds completely stupid and ridiculous...but the other nicknames, they were through bantering and we called each other names...being friends...of a sort...but then..."

"It's not stupid or ridiculous. It sounds different because the two of you are closer now. I can understand that feeling a bit. For a long while Jack used to call me vine lady, old lady, Nature Woman, and the nicknames went on and on and got more creative, until one day he just called me...Mother. It felt strange and unique and wonderful to hear just that word coming from Jack and towards me. Like I told you, it was what made my feelings practically set in stone, and I truly feel as if he's my child like a human mother would their own child that they gave birth to. For you it's a different situation all together. It's because you two really are old friends if you really think about it."

"No...we really aren't. Ever since the blizzard of '68..."

"Wait...why are you mad at him about that?"

"Why else would I be mad? He ruined Easter that day with his damn blizzard. He..."

"Oh...sweet Aster...I'm afraid you have misjudged the situation. Are you aware of what happened before that?"

"What do you mean what happened? One minute I'm waiting for little ankle-biters to come out and search for the eggs, and the next a huge and fierce blizzard covers everythin' in a thick blanket of snow in under fifteen minutes. Then, I see Jack lookin' around at the snow with a small smile on his face. He was proud he ruined Easter."

"I'll take that as a no then. So, did you ask him what happened?"

"Of course I did!"

"Did you let him explain?"

My ears laid flat against my head and for once, I cursed my ears for showing my emotions. "N-No...why would that matter?"

"Because if you had, you would've found out that he did that to keep the entire town of Burgess from being engulfed by flames. A summer child of mine was getting jealous that I was spending so much time with Jack, not that they bothered to spend more time with me anyway, but Jack had already built up his reputation of being destructive, foolish, mischievous, and playful, and because I knew all of that and still allowed him in my domain, they didn't like him and grew jealous quickly. My other spirit children didn't like what he represented, they didn't like that I was housing a winter spirit...especially when winter is usually when all of nature is either asleep or dead...but that summer child of mine...she hated it the most and she got jealous. On Easter Sunday of 1968, she followed Jack back to his pond and decided that was the day to get her revenge. So, she went out to the thickest part of the forest and caused so much heat that it started to catch on fire, and the flames were headed not only for his pond, but the entire town he loved to be in as well. She didn't care the damage, she just wanted him gone. Jack didn't understand why she was doing all of that just to get to him, but he couldn't stand by and just watch a town full of innocent people get burned because of him. So...he lowered the temperature drastically and quickly, he summoned a fast, harsh, and fierce blizzard...and he doused the flames before they could take up the rest of the forest and before they could reach the town. Aster...he wasn't smiling because he was proud of ruining Easter...he was smiling because everyone was still safe, if not just a bit cold. Once I caught word of it, I made sure to extensively punish that summer child by taking all of her powers away for the rest of the season and I gave them to one of my spring children, who was glad to have the opportunity. I gave them back to her at the end of fall, and as far as I know, she has stayed as far away from Jack as possible."

"W-Wait...so you're tellin' me...that Jack...did that to save the town?"

"Yes..."

"From a spirit that didn't care about the people she hurt as long as she got what she wanted?"

"Yes, Aster...that's what I'm saying. Why?" I brought a paw up to my eyes as my ears slid further back and I slumped forward as the guilt began to outweigh my body.

"Because...I told him that no place was safe as long as he exists...and I called him a monster that didn't care about anyone."

"I am very well aware of what you said to him."

"What, were you there or somethin'?" I asked quickly, droppin' my paw and lookin' at her wide eyed.

"No, Jack told me."

"So why didn't you come after me?"

"Oh, make no mistake, Aster. I was well on my way to going after you with all I had, but Jack stopped me."

"H-How! How could he stop you? You're Mother Nature! How much power does the little bugger have!?"

"He didn't use his powers against me nor did he even raise his voice at me."

"W-What I don't..."

"Maybe this will help." She pulled something out of her pocket and it was one of her recording devices she used to record her voice with when she didn't have a pen or paper. I've seen her use it before when she was in her kitchen and didn't want to get her papers wet. She pressed play and fast forward quite a bit before stopping it and quickly pressing pause. "We were cooking dinner and I was teaching him one of my favorite recipes when he told me about your encounter. I never got rid of it just in case you needed to hear it. I'm glad I kept it." She handed it to me and I hesitantly looked at her before pressing play.

_"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I going to have to figure it out myself? I'm already punishing my summer child for her actions towards you and the burns you received on your legs...don't make me add you to the list."_

_"I...it's nothing."_

_"Jack Frost, we both know that's not true."_

_I could hear a sigh which I assumed it came from Jack, and then I heard somethin' bein' set down. "When I made the blizzard to stop her...I landed in the snow...and I saw Bunny again."_

_"Jack, what happened?" The motherly concern in her voice was almost tangible, and I found myself further intrigued by the conversation._

_"He was angry with me. He told me no one was safe with me around and that it would be better for everyone if I was gone. He told me I was incapable of feeling. He said that I was a monster that didn't care about anyone."_

_"He did WHAT!? Jack, watch the castle for me, I'm going to go get myself a new fur coat!"_

_"No! Wait!"_

_"_ _Why should I!? He had no right to say those things to you! He doesn't even know you!"_

_"You're right...he doesn't...and you do...which would make for an unnecessary fight don't you think? Your opinion of me and his opinion of me are very different."_

_"It wouldn't matter! No one should ever say that to anyone. No matter what! Did he let you explain?"_

_"No, I tried to but..."_

_"Then why are you defending him!?"_

_"Because the way you're reacting right now about him hurting me...is no different than how he reacted when I hurt Easter."_

_There was silence for quite a long while and for a second I thought that the recorder had stopped until I heard a chair being scooted across the floor and a frustrated sigh. "Jack, you have a heart bigger than your body and wisdom beyond your years...and it is SO infuriating at times."_

_Jack could be heard laughin' and another chair was pulled and sat in. "I can't actually keep you from doing anything...you're way more powerful than I am, and you can disappear for crying out loud. So, in reality I can't stop you, but I ask that you leave this one between me and Bunny. Even if he's angry at me for centuries...I don't care. It shows how much he loves what he does, and how much he cares about nature and the children, and that's a good thing."_

_Another sigh was heard but it was of acceptance rather than frustration. "Very well...I will leave this to you and Bunny, but you must make me a promise."_

_"What is it?"_

_"Never change. The world...no...the universe...is lucky to have someone like you in it. Someone with such a loving heart and a patient mind. Don't ever change. Even if it becomes painful at times...and even when you are angry beyond words...don't be consumed by it to the point where you lose yourself. Be Angry, be furious, be scared...but don't ever lose yourself...do you understand?"_

_"Yes, I understand...Mother."_

The recording stopped and I handed it back to her slowly in disbelief at everything I had just heard. As I did so I felt somethin' wet on my furry face. _'When had I started cryin'!?'_ I wiped the tears off of my cheeks and sniffed away the rest. "H-He..."

"He never cared that you were angry with him. He never wanted to hurt Easter. He didn't even mind the things you said, because for some reason...he could understand why you felt that way. He was never going to explain himself to you, because he didn't think he deserved to. He knew how much you loved Easter and spring. I knew you didn't let himself explain, but I wanted to see what you said anyway."

"I..." Before I could say anything I heard a loud explosion outside the room. "What was that?"

"We should probably go find out..." She said with a worried expression.


	8. Winter, Spring, and Summer...OH MY!

We made it outside and we both stopped abruptly as Jack was holdin' on to his staff tightly with a fierceness in his eyes that I've only seen once, and that was when he was alone with Pitch for the second time. There were two women standin' in front of him. One of them was a young woman with light brown hair, wearin' a light green T-shirt with real vines and flowers wrappin' around the outside. She had brown pants and black shoes. The other was a bit older. Her hair was a vibrant shade of red and she was wearin' a short red and orange gradient dress, black pants, and black shoes. I made to move, but Mother Nature stopped me with a her hand and motioned for me to simply watch. _'They haven't seen or heard us yet, Aster. Let us see what he does against those who apparently DO wish him harm. The one in the red was the summer child I had punished and the one in the green is one of my spring children.'_   I felt a quick headache as her thoughts entered my head, and I was reminded once again why I hated her telepathy powers, but I did as she asked and observed.

"What do you want?" Jack spat out.

"Well, it seems the rumors are true, Flora." The summer child told the other.

"Indeed, Summer. It seems that the little winter demon isn't doing so good."

"I'm not a demon!" He shouted.

"Oh really? Well...do you happen to know what Winter does? It kills. It covers things in ice. It can make humans and animals sick. It makes beautiful plant life deceased and..."

"So does Fire!" He spat back with a small smirk.

"You insolent..." She glared at him with fire in her hands. "...what would you know!?"

"It's common sense! If a plant gets to hot during the summer it can burn...and by the way, Winter does so much more than what you've said. It leads way for new life. For spring. For hope of fresher greener plants in the spring. It is beautiful and fun and wonderful. Children love to play in what I create."

"Yet they can die and get sick so easily if their so called play isn't timed right. They can stay out in your world for only so long before they fall ill or die!"

"Summer is no different! Have you ever heard of a heat stroke? Perhaps sun poisoning? Oh...and here's another one...sunburns that can get so bad that the children and adults can barely even move!"

"You think you're so special don't you?" Flora spat at him as she beckoned vines to encircle her. Meanwhile, I found myself speechless. Jack could get into quite the debate with me, I knew that much, but he's actually making valid points all the while not denyin' any of their claims at what Winter does.

"Well, out of the three of us...I'm clearly the better looking one."

"Well...how about we change then, shall we, Summer?" Flora grinned wickedly at her season sister.

"I agree." She reeled back to throw the fire towards Jack, but Jack slammed down his staff and created a pure ice barrier around himself, and if the way he was lookin' at his new barrier was any consolation, he didn't know he could do that. "H-How did you do that?"

"I'm gonna be honest..." He said as he held a hand up to his own shield, causin' it to finally melt away. He looked from his hand that melted the barrier then to the water beneath his bare feet in awe. "...I didn't know I could." When I heard the familiar words I was taken back a bit. _'He's getting more powerful...'_  

_'Yes he is...It has to do with him getting his soul mended, finding out his purpose, gaining the trust of your name, actually having a working heart, and also...he now has believers. That's quite a lot of 'new' in his heart and soul to combine with his powers. Now, watch.'_   I ignored the headache and focused more on the fact that she's right. When we all got our believers...as few as they were at the beginning. We all had a strange sort of power surge that we had to grow into. My eyes widened at the realization as I had to also remind myself that Jack was still only at half power, and he now had not only the trust of my name, but a purpose as well as a working heart.

"What does it matter Summer..." Flora started with a look of curiosity and caution crossin' her features. "...With who he is and his history, he'll never be anything but a nuisance and a menace."

"Oh, so I take it you haven't heard..." Jack started with a smug grin as he rested the insides of his elbows on the staff and the staff on his shoulders behind his neck. "...I've recently taken the oath...I'm a guardian now."

"How dare you lie about such things!" Flora screamed as she began whipping at Jack with the vines that surrounded her. Jack gracefully dodged each one while simultaneously fighting against Summer who was throwin' fire at him. They closed around him and I watched in fascination as I heard and felt the familiar sonic boom. He glowed brilliantly and my jaw dropped. _'Nightlight...he glowed like that in the air when fighting Pitch Nightlight did that a long time ago, and JACK had done it twice now...he...he really is BOTH Nightlight and Jack Frost...whether he knows it or not...how did I not notice it!?'_   Thankfully Mother Nature didn't answer my question, because it was a clear sign that I still had doubts. As I continued to watch Jack preform the same attack from before, he screamed aloud with fury and agitation as he slammed his hands together, effectively knockin' back both Flora and Summer quite a ways away from him. Where they were, you could tell as they tried to get up that parts of their legs and arms had small pieces of ice.

"I WOULD NEVER LIE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" For a second I thought Jack was going to continue attackin' them as they were helplessly tryin' to stand on cold and frozen feet, but no...he didn't. He merely breathed in and out as slowly and as calmly as he could. "The guardians are important. They protect children. North protects their wonder and ability to see magic in all things, Tooth protects their memories, Sandy protects their restless nights with peaceful dreams and ideas, Bunny protects their Hope, and I protect their joy and sense of fun."

Summer was on fire...literally, as she growled at him through her flames that didn't hurt her, but were clearly too warm for Flora as she had to step about ten feet away. "Y-You monster! Look at what you did to us! Why would we ever believe anything you say!? There is no way that the guardians would ever accept someone like you! And protecting children? Give me a break!" She made her fire grow exponentially and I could already tell what she was about to do. She wasn't gonna throw fire at him anymore. She was going to try and actually kill him by burnin' him to a crisp. My heart clenched at the mere thought of it, and I did something I swore I would never do, and I knew it had a lot to do with him being both my friend and someone I trusted my full name to. I tapped my foot four times and grabbed my staff as it flew from the hole and into the air. I slammed the staff against the ground and caused an earthquake underneath her and Flora while vines shot up out of the ground around her. The damp earth rose like a tidal wave on both sides and crashed into Summer alone, dousin' the fire that surrounded her being, and the vines that had sprung out of the earth soon wrapped around her tightly, keepin' he from movin'. "Flora you Bitch!"

"Don't look at me! I don't have that kind of power!" Flora frantically said as she tried to steady herself. "I'm not that powerful at all!"

"When I get out of here you snow demon, I'm gonna make sure no one has to worry about you ever again!"

I turned the staff as I tightened my grip. "I'm afraid I can't let ya do that, Sheila." I said as I stood steadfast with my staff.

"Bunny!" She shouted with her eyes wide in shock at me bein' here, but they quickly returned to rage and hatefulness as she looked at Jack. "This...snow demon...has been claiming to be a guardian! Allow me to show him his place...Flora...release me!"

"I told you, I'm not the one doing it!"

"I'm the one holding you captive...ya see...this staff that I hold in my paws is mine, and it's going to hold you there...and contain your powers for as long as I deem necessary!" I growled out and her eyes only widened more, but instead of shock, they widened in fear and curiosity. I looked at Jack who was also wide eyed, but I knew why his astonishment was on his face. It was because I used my staff after tellin' him to never mention the staff to anyone. "Jack, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, never better Ast...erm...Bunny."

"No way..." Flora started with her jaw dropped and small bits of understandin' crossed her eyes briefly. "He...He knows Bunny's real name."

"Yes, he does." I stated honestly. "And I forbid both of you from ever bein' able to say it even if you do find out what it is. Full name or otherwise." They glowed briefly with a silver hue and then it was gone. Now they would never be able to even say the first syllable of my real name. They would only ever be allowed to call me Bunny.

"Bunny...your staff...you said."

"I know what I said, Frostbite. Now...are you _sure_ you're alright?"

"Yeah...I'm fine..."

"Why would you talk to him!? He lied about being a guardian!"

I tightened the vines hold on her once again, but made sure it was just tight enough to where she could still breathe. "He wasn't lyin'. He is a guardian and he was appointed by the Man in the Moon himself. He also helped save the entire world and all of the children of the world from Pitch Black." "H-He what...He really is..."

Pure fear crossed her features and fearful tears streamed down her face like a river. "He's really a guardian? Someone like him!?"

"Yes someone like him! Someone who is Mischievous with pranks and games, carefree as the wind herself, braver than anyone I've ever met, devoted to those he cares about, and someone who always sees an opportunity to have Fun in even the darkest times. Yes, someone like him is a guardian and who I consider to be a great friend of mine, and I don't take kindly to spirits who nearly roast my friends alive."

"I wasn't...look...he attacked first and I...we..."

"I highly doubt he attacked you first."

"H-He did! He..."

"Jack, is that what happened?" I questioned him while keepin' my glare fixed on the summer spirit.

"I was training. When they landed I accidentally hit them with some ice. Then, Summer flew a large fireball at me."

"He's lying! He..."

"Is he now, my hot headed child?" Mother Nature questioned with a cross look and crossed arms.

"M-Mother!" Summer squeaked out.

"Bunny, you may release her." She told me without actually lookin' at me.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Jack, come here sweetie." I hesitantly released the grip on my staff and tapped the ground with my foot four times. I dropped my staff down the hole, knowin' it would go into it's safe hideaway place, and I patiently yet cautiously watched Jack walk towards Mother Nature and her children.

"Yes, Mother?" He asked carefully. Summer leapt up from the ground and glared at Jack.

"How dare you call her Mother! She isn't your...!"

Mother Nature raised her hand and actually slapped summer in the face so hard that she fell to the ground. "No, how dare YOU, Summer! How dare you talk to anyone like that! Let alone a guardian! And in case you were wondering he IS one of my children. Manny and I created him together. However, that is beside the point! You have shammed yourself in front of me, and another guardian. Both of you have!" She spat as she looked at Flora. "Even if he wasn't one of mine, I am appalled at the fact that my children would treat anyone with such hatred and disdain!"

"H-He's yours and Manny's...what!?" Summer shouted in surprise as her red cheeks paled significantly.

"You heard me, child. Now, if I ever see you or any other spirit child of mine acting like the two of you just acted...even remotely close to it...to anyone...you and they won't have to worry about your powers for a long time, because I can assure you...when I took your powers for a whole season, that was just a warning. If I have to take your powers again, you won't be getting them back for millennia or worse! Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" Her voice boomed across the whole of Mother Nature's domain, and I found even myself willin' to obey her strict voice.

"Crystal, ma'am!" Both Flora and Summer squeaked out with terror in their eyes.

"Good. Now, Jack...is there anything you would like to say?" All of us had our eyes on Jack, and he physically felt it. I walked towards him and put a paw on his shoulder givin' him a nod.

He nodded back at me and cleared his throat. "Why do you hate me so much? What have I done to you? Either of you?"

"You're a winter spirit!" Summer snapped.

"Good to know your eyes work." Jack snapped sarcastically. "However, with that reasoning, I should hate you because you're a summer spirit and my polar opposite...but I don't hate you. There's also the fact that I'm friends with Bunny and he's a type of spring spirit...So, why do you hate me?"

I crossed my arms as I too wanted the answer to that question. "You...you're..."

"Have I done anything to you personally to make you hate me so much?"

"No..." She stated through gritted teeth.

"And even now you're still angry with me."

"Jealous..." Flora whispered with guilty anger.

"What was that?" Jack questioned as he held back a smirk.

"Summer and I were jealous of you!" She shouted in exasperation. "Mother was all of a sudden giving you the same attention she gave us. We heard of your reputation and didn't know why someone like you would be allowed to spend time here let alone...why Mother would allow you to have a room and spend time with her personally like we used to...but looking back on it...it's not like we tried to spend more time with her anyway..."

"So...what...you didn't like having a little sibling so you try and kill him!?" Mother Nature questioned with an appalled look on her face. "You know there's other winter spirits, right?"

"Yes, but they're small...like your vine minions and they merely frost certain areas...he can do much more than that and..." Flora trailed off, seemingly understanding how childish she sounded. "And...we didn't want him to get any attention from you. We thought he didn't deserve it. We didn't want him around...we hated the fact that after everything he has done and what he represents...we hated that after all that, you still treated him like he could do no wrong."

"You two are well over ten millennia old and you act like _childish brats_ with powers because _you_ think _you_   have some sort of _right_ to decide who is worthy of _my_   attention!? Not only that, but do you _truly_ think that _either_   of you have any right to say who lives and who dies!?" Mother Nature shouted. "You abuse your powers against another spirit because I'm treating them with _kindness and compassion!?_ Does that not sound _insane_ to you!?"

"What would you ever hope to gain from it?" I asked them, genuinely curious, because their reasonin' for treatin' him with such hatred were so childish and bizarre I don't think even a human child would've done such a thing. "We didn't hope to gain anything from it...we just wanted him gone so that we could...Well...We didn't want to be associated with..."

"Oh...but that's where you contradict yourself." I interrupted. "You wanted him gone...so that you could gain all of Mother Nature's attention once more, and so that neither of you would have to be associated with Jack Frost. THAT is what you hoped to gain from your actions!"

"Is that the truth?" Jack asked curiously.

"Y-Yes..." Flora answered as she hung her head in shame. It seemed that she finally fully understood how childish she had been. Summer on the other hand, was still pale from the earlier realization about Manny and Mother Nature, that she almost seemed to force herself to hold her head high.

"Summer?" Jack questioned with patient eyes.

"What!?" She snapped and received a light slap to the head by Mother Nature. "OW!"

"How would I be a threat to you? I have never meant to hurt you, and I certainly don't remember attacking you on purpose in all my three hundred years of being Jack Frost. What threat could I pose to you?"

"It's like she said. We were jealous of you...and we didn't know exactly who or what you were. We knew you could use winter related powers, but you weren't exactly a winter spirit because you weren't limited to just that. You could fly and you could talk to the wind, and you have a staff...none of the rest of the seasonal spirits had staffs...aside from Bunny I guess...but he's never used it until now, and we had no idea he even had one to begin with...He's never needed it."

"Well, let me tell you something. My name is Jack Frost. The moon told me my name, but that's all he ever told me for three hundred years. The next time I heard him speak was just before taking the oath and he told me I was a guardian, and thanked me for what I had done."

"You weren't given any warnings or...or a purpose?"

"No. I had to figure everything out on my own for a while...then Mother Nature helped me grow into my powers."

"Oh...I uh...I didn't know."

"It's alright. I forgive you."

"I didn't apologize." She said as she glared at him.

"Maybe not, but I forgive you anyway. Just...can we try and get along? I never hated either of you...so truly...there's no reason to hate me...and I highly doubt that Mother Nature would ever abandon the two of you."

"I...I...she...we..." Summer tried to speak, but Jack's words of forgiveness seemed to move her to the point of tears that evaporated before they made it past her cheeks, but they were there just the same. "Yes..." She finally said. "I believe we can...but it may take a long time..."

"Good thing we have eternity then." Jack winked at them, and both Flora and Summer blushed profusely. _'What the hell? Is he related to Cupid too? How does he charm them without even tryin'!? A few minutes ago they were tryin' to kill him!'_

_'You may want to read the chapter about natural born gifts.'_ Mother Nature told me telepathically, with a slight smirk on her face. I rolled my eyes in irritation at her amusement. "R-Right." Flora said. "We should probably go now...Come on, Summer."

"R-Right b-behind you." They both disappeared in their own way leaving us three there, sighin' breaths of relief at the same time.

Once they were completely gone I looked at Jack and huffed out a laugh. "Well, at least you have two new admirers."

"I...I what?"

"You heard me. I don't think you'll have to worry about them bein' violent anymore. I do think you'll have to worry about a jealous Tooth Fairy though."

"Oh whatever." He rolled his eyes, and I chuckled lightly at his reaction.

"Hey, speaking of which...since we're both healed up, we should probably go see them and tell them...why you're well..."

"At half power? With half a soul?"

"Yeah..."

"Well...let's go. Can we take the tunnels?"

"You like the tunnels?" I asked with an amused expression and raised eyebrows.

"I love them! They're fun! It's similar to how I fly with Wind, but it's along the tunnels of nature itself...it's interesting."

"Alright then..." I answered in surprise. I tapped my foot twice and a hole appeared. "After you, Jack Frost." I gave a dramatic bow, and earned a hearty laugh from the embodiment of winter himself as he jumped down the hole.

I was about to jump down too when Mother Nature grabbed my arm. "I'm glad he found a home with you."

"Oh...well...I figured I could offer it up, since he liked it so much..."

"No..." She smiled softly as she shook her head at me. "...that's not what I meant. I mean he has found a home in you. You are like an older brother to him. He's always looked up to you."

"How has he looked up to me!?" I questioned in astonishment. _'He's Nightlight for cryin' out loud!_ '

"Even so..." She whispered softly. "...He had always admired the joy you brought to children during your special day every year. He admired the fact that you could fill people with such hope and fun at the same time. He admired the details and love you put into your holiday. He admired that you would hide just out of sight, despite being able to be seen, just so that you could enjoy watching the children search for something you worked so hard for."

"But I...we...we never got along well..."

"Most siblings never do. At least not for long anyway. All siblings fight at some point and some fights even turn physical."

"But we traded back insult after insult...and we tried to hurt each other with words..."

"Just like real brothers would when they don't see eye to eye." She chuckled lightly at me.

"I...I hurt him...badly...at Easter..."

"And just like a true older brother who got hurt and felt betrayed by something your little brother did, to something you genuinely cared about...you lashed out in anger. Then, you later regretted and you made amends. Not only that, but you fought along side him, and even protected him during the battle. I have seen a glimpse of the battle through his memories as he was healing on the bed. You looked so worried when Pitch was ready to kill Jack with his scythe. Is there anything else you want to add that would deter me from seeing the brotherly relationship between the two of you? You two even look at each other like brothers, you talk to each other like brothers, even your tone with one another is similar to a tone shared between siblings, and don't think I didn't notice the pure protective rage that crossed your face when you took hold of your staff that you swore you would never use against another spirit."

"I..."

"YOU...see Jack as a brother...even if you won't admit it yourself."

"I..." I thought about, and I looked back at how I've reacted to Jack over the years and how I reacted just a few moments ago. I tried to picture what might happen if Jack was seriously injured or hurt or if he had actually died again, and just the thought alone was far more painful than imaginin' that happenin' to any of the other guardians. I brought a paw to my face as I felt completely idiotic for not realizin' it sooner. "I...I think you may be right, but..."

"Of course I am, my dear Aster. You should go. I will return the bag when I can. I have to clean up the mess my children have made."

"R-Right...see you later then." Once she walked away I jumped down the hole feeling a twinge of happiness. _'I finally realized why Jack was so different, and why despite how much he angered me...I just couldn't help but joke around with him...'_   Then the twinge of happiness changed into one of worry. _'I hope this goes well.'_


	9. Trusty Staff

Jack was laughin' and hollerin' as the end of the tunnel into North's opened up, and he jumped out. "Ah! Now that was fun!" He told me as I followed him out.

"I'm glad ya think so, mate." I told him with a slight shove. "Now, where is..."

"Bunny! Jack! Is good to see you!"

"I think we just found him." Jack joked at me with a slight laugh as North quickly made his way towards us, while tryin' to not step on the elves under his boots. "Hey there, North."

"I take it everything went well."

"Well...about that, mate..."

"Jack...why do you still have two different eye colors?"

Jack clutched his staff nervously as he looked at me. I placed a paw on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring nod. As small as the action was, it only further reminded me of Mother Nature's words to me about being like a brother to Jack. Now that I admitted she was right, I couldn't see how I didn't notice it earlier.  _Decades_  earlier. Jack gave me a small smile and looked back at North with a sigh. "We know what...or rather who is to blame for me being like this..."

"Was it Pitch!?"

"N-No..."

"Well then...who could it be?"

"It was me..." I started to admit and was about to say it was them as well, but before I could even say another word I was met with the end of North's sword.

"Explain yourself, Bunny! How badly could you have hurt Jack to turn him into a half spirit?" The anger in his eyes was pure, but there was also something further back. It looked like patience mixed with pain.

"North..." Jack started. When North didn't turn to face him, Jack placed his hand on North's hand that held the sword. "It was Bunny...but it was also you and Tooth."

"W-What?" The anger in his eyes vanished, and pain as well as confusion came forward almost instantly as he turned away from me with a breath of disbelief, looking to Jack for further explanation.

"Well...you see North...Um..."

"North..." I started, and he thankfully lowered his sword, but still remained in his vice grippin' hand. "We've done wrong by Jack. At Easter...we pushed him away. We didn't give him a chance to explain...I almost hit him and said we shouldn't have trusted him, and when he turned to you and Tooth...the two of you looked away...I saw it when I turned around. We were supposed to be guidin' him and bein' patient with him...instead...we hurt him...but it doesn't end there...If it wasn't for Mother Nature...Jack would've been completely on his own for three hundred years...we call ourselves guardians...those who protect the hopes, dreams, wonder, and memories in children...yet we ignored an immortal child who often times felt he had no hope, we don't know his dreams, we don't know what he sees wonder in, and he's not only an immortal child...but at the time, he was an immortal child with amnesia. He had to make his own memories, and since he's three hundred years old...a lot of them might not be that great."

North staggered back against the railing, and once his back hit it, he turned around to look at the globe with all its brilliant lights that signified children who believed. He looked at it in silence for some time before his hands just dropped at his sides and he lowered his head. "I...I..." He seemed to have trouble findin' the words to say what he wanted to, so we just stood there patiently as he continued to looked down to the ground. "Jack, what happened...how did you become more...you? How did you fix?"

"Well...it wasn't easy..." Jack told him lettin' out a breath I'm pretty sure he hadn't realized he was holdin'.

"He's right. Once he realized that I figured out I was mostly to blame...he ran away. I had to go and look for him, but his voice was comin' from everywhere and nowhere. It was unbelievable. Anyway, I admitted I was in the wrong, and I genuinely meant it. I apologized and he forgave me. Then...he had a heart attack." If North's eyes could grow any wider it was at my words. His usually rosy cheeks that were depicted as such in so many books...had turned as pale as Jack's skin. "Don't worry though...he didn't die...we got him to Mother Nature's in time, and he now officially has a heart beat. However..."

"However..." North started with a shaky sigh. "...Jack, I am so sorry I hurt you. I can't say it wasn't my intention as it wouldn't matter if it was or not, but I am sorry Jack. I should've listened to explanation. I should've...well...there's a lot of should've done that I can list...but it doesn't change the hurt Tooth and I caused. I am deeply sorry Jack." He sheathed his blade and walked towards us, and placed his hands on Jack's shoulders. "You won't feel like that again, I promise...well, I can promise Bunny and I won't be cause of it. Can you...can you forgive me, Jack?"

"Thank you, North." Jack beamed up at him. "I forgive you, and I'm sure Tooth is busy, but I forgive her too. I feel like she would give the same apology you just did."

"That's good to hear, Jack." North gave Jack a tight hug, but it quickly ended as Jack cried out in pain again. However, it wasn't merely a heart attack this time. Hearin' his screams North quickly let go and stepped back. I did as well as we both watched Jack curl in on himself on the floor as he continued to scream in agony. Then, he started to glow brightly, almost blindingly so. The light flared in and out a few times, then, the light retreated back into his body, only to be let out again with not just light alone. Large ice spires, similar to the one that was in my shoulder. "Bunny, what is happening!?"

"I-I dunno, mate. It wasn't this bad before." I told him honestly with a panicked expression. Suddenly, as the spires continued to grow, there was a strange blackness to them. "I-Is that...black sand within the ice?"

"PITCH! It must've happened when Jack forced his nightmares back while in the air. It must've gotten into him somehow." North explained with his own fear takin' over his eyes.

At the look of fear that crossed over North's eyes, my own started sinkin' in as I remembered what Pitch's powers could do to a person. "Wait...is he...is he gonna become a..."

"I'm not sure Bunny..."

"Well then  _be_  sure!" I interrupted with a shout. "We owe him that much! Hell...we owe him more than we can even say!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.  _'More than I am allowed to say, thanks to the blood oath with Mother Nature.'_

"We must get him somewhere he can be contained. The pole and your Warren are not appropriate places, and we have no way to get him to Mother Nature's because she only allows herself and her children in."

My eyes shot wide with a glimmer of hope when I remembered what Mother Nature had done with Jack's staff. "Actually, we do!" I crouched down to Jack who's voice was almost gone from screaming as he clutched tightly to himself. "Jack! If ya can understand me...we need to get you to Mother Nature's. I need you to take us!"

"Bunny...how would Jack be able to take..."

"My...staff...Aster...I...give...you...permission...to use...my...staff!"

"Jack..." I whispered out in shock. "How...how am I supposed to use your staff?"

"Give it...to...me..." I did as he asked and he gripped it tightly from my hands. Now, instead of just one area of the staff frosting, the whole damn thing was covered in it. "Aster...don't let...go...of...the staff..." I did as he asked and continued to hold onto it until he said otherwise. For a second I thought he was gonna say something but then my mind buzzed and my ears rang as his voice entered my mind.  _'E. Aster Bunnymund I...give...you my...word that...I will never...use...your name to...utter...a single command or...threaten your...life. I don't...understand how I...know how...to...do this, but...For now...my staff is yours!'_  As soon as his thought was finished the frost disappeared in the blink of an eye, and was bein' replaced with beautiful emerald green moss, which grew rapidly up and down the staff. "You've been there...just...picture it...and tap the...staff...twice."

Without needin' to be told twice, I picked up Jack and gave him to North. Thankfully, he took him rather quickly and Jack fell unconscious. I did as Jack said, and suddenly we appeared in front of Mother Nature herself in her own domain. It was completely different from the snow globes as it just took us within practically the same breath. "Oh my...Aster...how is that you have Jack's staff...!? How is it you're here and Jack is unconscious? Why does he look...Is that...black sand coming out of the ice that's coming out of him?" She asked as she immediately clasped her hands to her mouth in worried shock.

"Long story...and yes...we believe so...we...don't know what may happen. This would be the safest place for him. Safer than the Warren or the pole at least."

"Right you are, my dear. Aster, take him to his room. I will get North's side of the story and then I will hear yours."

"Yes, ma'am." I took Jack from North, who now wore a confused glare at me, but I didn't really have time for that right now. I did as she asked and took him straight to his room, and set him down on the bed that had healed him from earlier. I sat in the chair next to his bed for about thirty minutes before I heard the door open. However, my eyes stayed on Jack, who was just barely breathing...again. "Aster...North told me that you and Jack both told him what was happening to him...he apologized and Jack forgave both him and Tooth at the same time...and then he collapsed in pain. He said that's when the ice spires started shooting out of him with black sand mixed in...is that correct?"

Her voice was dripping with so much concern and caution, I finally turned to face her with the defeated and confused expression on my face. "Yeah...that's the right of it. He...um...North didn't hear it, but I did..."

"Does this have to do with how Jack's staff was able to work in your hands?" I nodded my head, losin' my voice then and there. "I see. North is quite concerned about that. He is also a bit baffled because he's never heard of someone being able to transfer their magical item's power to another person before." I shrugged my shoulders and returned my gaze to Jack's motionless body. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I..." My voice broke and I hated it, but this has been such a damn emotional roller coaster, and when Pooka feel emotion, we feel it with all we got. Just a few days ago I wanted nothin' to do with him and fought it the whole way. Then, it turns out he was actually a good bit of help...then I sent him away...then he comes back makin' Jamie believe in me...then he gets turned into a half spirit...then I find out it's because we all pushed him away...then I find out Jack is Nightlight...and even after all that...the strongest...most painful emotion I'm feeling right now isn't one of shock, confusion, or even anger at all of the revelations, and some of which I still think I should've known, but none of that compares to this. The most painful emotion I'm feelin' right now is heartbreak, because after all the years of knowing Jack, and especially recently...he really has become like an annoying mischievous little brother...and I feel like I'm watchin' him die. Especially with what I know Pitch's power is capable of doin'.

"Aster?" She asked me again with merely my name and all the strength I had in me left.

"I can't lose him, Mother Nature...He's like a brother to me...I..."

I heard her gracefully make her way towards me, and felt her gentle hand rest on my shoulder. "What happened with Jack's staff, sweetie?"

"It's...a bit complicated...He...somehow knew he was able to do it, but he didn't know  _HOW_  he was able to do it. He gave me his staff...by making both of us hold onto it...and he...he said my name. My full name and he swore that he would never use my name in a command or to threaten my life...and he told me that for now... _his_  staff is  _mine_."

"My goodness...well I suppose that  _would_  be an alternative for him."

"An alternative for what?" I sniffed out as I looked at her with a perplexed expression.

"Well...Aster...you know that it's possible for two spirits to know each other's real name as long as both give permission to use it, right? It's just never been done before."

"Yeah...what are ya gettin' at?"

"Well...seeing as Jack doesn't actually know his real name...and you said that he told you he didn't know how he knew what to do or say...but he did anyway...well...that's just like when someone is faced with the decision to accept or deny someone the ability to say their name. He must've felt it then somehow. Perhaps Manny is to blame, knowing who he was beforehand he more than likely set different rules for him. Not only that...but we have all determined that Jack's staff is as much a part of him as his own heart and soul...and he handed...no...he entrusted that to you."

"S-So...this is  _basically_  me knowing his true name?"

"You already know it regardless, but in Jack's case..." She made a calculative face as she looked at Jack. She went towards him and held a hand over his core and instead of the golden glow it usually held, it held a bright white light that surrounded her hand and Jack himself. Once she pulled her hand away, the light dimmed, and she gave me a reassuring smile. "...yes...it seems Manny really _did_  set different rules for Jack, and that means you two now hold the  _equivalent_  of two spirits who know each other's true names. You are the first two to do it."

"So uh..." I started with my eyes wide and my mind goin' a mile a minute. "...what are the different rules for Jack, and how does it affect  _me_?"

"Well...for starters, if he knew someone's real name and was entrusted with it, then it would be a bit different from the original rules."

"How so?"

"I'm sure you're well aware of how protective someone can be for the person that knows their name, yes?"

"Yeah, I've heard about it, but..."

"Well..." She interrupted, "...considering  _both_  Manny and I created him...that feeling would be placed  _tenfold_. Everything would be, really. You may have been  _mistaken_  when you thought it was the same for  _all_  spirits who have their names entrusted to someone...you may have thought it would create a brotherly bond...but that is actually not the case. It would create a stronger bond, that's for certain, but really...all it would ever do under _normal_  circumstance...all it would do is make your friendship stronger by you feeling like you need to make sure he's healthy, happy, doing well, keeping up with friends, hanging out, and making sure if he's hurt he's taken care of. You would do all that, before thinking of yourself.  _However,_ in Jack's case...he knew your real name...you entrusted it to him...and when he was being attacked, you did something you swore you would never do again, and you used your staff against another spirit. You were willing to do anything to make sure that he was not harmed or killed. You entrusted your name to him, and the brotherly bond that was already there  _before_  you gave him your name...was made even stronger. Once you gave him your name and openly trusted him with it, it went from friends who act like brothers to brothers who can be friends...and now that Jack has, in his own way, given you  _his_  name...or well... _rather_...everything who he is, by giving you the staff...the cycle then became, Friends who act like brothers, brothers who can be friends, and now it's just...brothers. You will treat him as if he were born your brother as a Pooka, and he will treat you as if you were born his brother as a human. Both of you will of course still know the obvious difference, but it won't change the feeling of it."

"I...so...is it...I've always wondered since..."

"Ah...yes, if I do remember correctly, you were one of the very few spirits who thought it would all be artificial because of someone knowing your name...no, this is all very real, and all it does is amplify what's already there. In Jack's case...it amplifies it tenfold. You will feel like you aren't yourself for quite some time, but that's because you're getting used to your new, much stronger, emotions."

"So...he...I'm not just overreactin'. I couldn't deny it when ya said it. He's been kind of like a brother to me, and I don't know how I didn't see it sooner, but somethin' changed when he gave me his staff...so..." I honestly don't know why I was havin' such a hard time grasping the concept but I was. I mean, this was Jack we were talkin' about, and he gave me his  _staff!_

"You're basically brothers now, in the simplest sense."

"W-What do I do now?" I asked her as I looked helplessly at Jack's still form. There were new ice shards here and there, and it only served to further worry me.

"That is up to you." She sighed out with motherly concern.

"How long...how long will he be like this?"

"I'm not sure. I've never seen this happen before...Pitch has been able to turn people into fearlings with great ease...people even stronger than Jack...but this isn't like how he normally did it...because his and Jack's encounter as well as their battle wasn't normal either. I can feel the energy coming off of the ice more and more due to the fact that his bed is trying to heal him, but...it can't. Anyway, the energy he is giving off...it's four different energies."

"What do ya mean?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes at her.

"He is fighting...but it's not just a fight against the black sand or the possibility at becoming a fearling...which unfortunately...is a possibility. He is fighting Pitch's power and his three selves. Nightlight, Jackson Overland Frost, and Jack Frost."

"Wait...he's fighting for control or something? But...He is Nightlight and Jackson and Jack..."

"That he is...but he has to pick which one he wants to be forever after this...or become a fearling. He has to make a choice...what exactly that choice entails...I'm not sure...we should let him rest, Aster. The others have arrived, and it's time I told them everything. Manny had contacted me just before you arrived telling me it's time...so let's go."


	10. Nightlight

I followed Mother Nature to where we first arrived and I noticed that North, Sandy, and Tooth were all talkin'. It seemed that North was givin' them all a rough explanation of what happened. Once we made it to them and stopped, North looked at us with expectant and worried eyes. "Have you told them what happened with your side of the story?" Mother Nature asked and North nodded, still looking back and forth between us.

"Do you know...if that black sand is..."

"It's become a part of him..." She told them as she looked to the ground.

"No..." Tooth whispered out with tears streaming down her face.

I looked at Sandy and he lowered himself to the ground with a heartbroken expression, and then there was North. The color was gone from his face and he looked every bit defeated as he did when Jamie was the last light., but this time was worse. There was nothin' left in him. No will, no wonder, no hope, this was all a nightmare for him, and he was already trying to hold on to the good memories of Jack as if her were already gone. "W-What..." He finally spoke and staggered back. "...no...not Jack he...perhaps you are wrong?"

Rage and heartbreak swam in her eyes as she walked closer to him. "Do you really think I don't know the energy of my father's influence!? How dare you!"

"N-No...I...I just...I don't want..."

She calmed down as she let out a shaky sigh. "I don't want it to be real either, but the fact is...that's what we face right now...and Manny has decided it's time to let you know who Jack really is. I have told Bunny not too long, and he made a blood oath to never repeat it until it was decided that all of you should know...and because of the circumstances that time is now."

"What do you mean? Jack has always been Jack...hasn't he?" Tooth questioned with confusion laced in her voice as she looked at me for an answer. "I mean...He was a human before but even then his name was basically the same."

"He wasn't always Jackson Overland Frost. He was someone before that." She finally admitted.

"But...I have his baby teeth...that's impossible..."

"I interfered with the teeth...I created ones that would look and feel real to you, and placed memories inside them. Real ones, but also...fake ones. That's why his memories would be fuzzy as a child, but clear at the age of fourteen."

"Y-You...but why!?"

"Because it was necessary."

Sandy held up a question mark askin',  _'Well then who was Jack Frost before he was human Jack?'_

She smiled softly at Sandy and then to everyone else, and finally, she turned to me. "Aster, how about you tell them. He's basically entrusted you with his own name after all...even though he doesn't know it."

"He what!?" Tooth shouted in shock and excitement.

"Jack's staff holds the same strength and power that his own real name would have if someone were to use his real name...but Manny had changed the rules for Jack, because Jack was not to know who he was before being human. So...his staff holds it all...He gave Aster his staff...look at it. He's holding it after all."

I looked at the moss covered staff and let out an embarrassed chuckle as I heard the the gasps of shock and astonishment from my friends. "Well uh..." I tried to start, knowin' how important it was to tell them now, but my problem was, I didn't know how I was supposed to tell them. "Uh...well...you're not gonna believe this...I mean...at times I'm still havin' a hard time believin' it...but um...do any of you remember Nightlight?"

"Of course we remember Nightlight! He was guardian of Manny and inspired Manny to be first guardian for children of Earth...but what does this have to do with Jack?" North asked with confusion risin' in his eyes.

"Well...Jack...was originally Nightlight."

"That...cannot be..." North whispered out as he staggered further back. He tried to steady himself but his butt landed on the fresh green grass, and I wasn't aware Sandy's or Tooth's eyes could get any wider. "That would mean...we..."

"That would mean that we had fought alongside Nightlight in the most recent fight against Pitch..." I told them. "...but it also means that Nightlight was alone this whole time, and we had no idea. He had been alone for three hundred years as Jack Frost...and we don't really know how long as a human."

"We...how were we to know...?" North asked with a look of regret.

I placed a paw on his shoulder and shook my head. "We weren't supposed to know. This was Manny's doin', and Mother Nature had promised she wouldn't tell anyone until Manny gave the okay...but...right now...the reason that it's important that we all know is..." I started to choke up a bit at the sudden memory of the ice getting worse around Jack's body.

"The reason it's important now..." Mother Nature started. "...is because he is fighting four things at once."

"How do you mean?" Tooth asked, and I was glad that I wasn't the only that had to ask that.

"He is fighting Pitch's influence and his other three identities. Nightlight, Jackson Overland Frost, and Jack Frost. I don't know how this will play out for him, but he and Bunny will need to remain here until he is well again. If he is still here towards Easter...I will have Bunny choose one of you to stay with him until his Holiday is taken care of."

"But...Easter already past...you mean you think he'll be out for whole year?" North gasped in shock.

"I don't really know for sure. What I do know is that he will not be himself for quite some time...even if he does wake, he will likely still be battling on the inside and be extremely confused...and when he gets to that state...he will likely be dangerous...and under the circumstances...even I will be seeing him rarely...Bunny on the other hand...Jack quite literally placed his life in his paws."

"We...understand...we must go then, yeah?"

"It would be wise...we will let you know of any changes, we promise. Even if it's minuscule."

"We'd appreciate that and..." Tooth looked at Sandy, and it was then that I noticed that he seemed to have tears streaming down his face, and if possible...his face seemed pale. "Sandy...are you alright?"

He held up various symbols and we understood them because of the depth of emotion they held.  _'Nightlight's been alive this whole time. We all thought he died, but he didn't...he became a human boy...who gained a family...only to lose it all. Then, he wakes up with no memory of...anything. He has basically been on his own for...forever...and we didn't know...we ignored him...I know it was Jack Frost...and I know that that is a real person and that is him...but even then...we should've been there...he's an immortal child...and he was Manny's protector...we didn't even bother searching for him...we just assumed...that he had died, and now...he very well might do something worse than die. He may become a fearling, and it's because of something that happened between you all at Easter while I was dead...and I still have yet to hear the full story. I am...I am afraid. I am afraid to lose a very good friend. When he was Jack Frost...we would fly together and visit children together...but other than that, we didn't spend nearly as much time as he and Mother Nature did...I don't want him to become a fearling...and if he does choose one or the other of the personalities...I don't want to lose Jack Frost either. I miss Nightlight...I do...but...I honestly think I would miss Jack Frost more.'_

"Mate, I can promise ya, if I can help it, we at the very least will not have to worry about Jack turnin' into a fearling. Now, I can't make any promises, but I can certainly try and prevent it with all I got." He nodded and smiled at me, but I knew for a fact that he wasn't willin' to get his hopes even a little bit up.

"We must leave so they can tend to Jack. We hear from you soon, yeah?" North asked with about the same amount of hope that Sandy had, and I just nodded my head and gave them a sympathetic smile. He turned around and took out three snow globes. He gave one to Tooth and Sandy, and all three of them used their snow globes sayin' where they wanted to go. In about five seconds they were gone, but their crushin' hopelessness still remained.

Without sayin' a word, I turned around and headed straight for Jack's room, but Mother Nature stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm. "Aster...are...are you alright?"

"Am I alright? My brother may turn into a fearling, and if he doesn't turn into a fearling he may lose everythin' that made him my brother."

"So...officially admitting that he's a brother to you?"

"I admitted it earlier if you'll remember correctly."

"If you'll also remember correctly you said you thought I may be right." She stated with a smug grin. "Now you have officially said I was right."

"You enjoy bein' right don't ya?"

"Why yes...yes I do."

We made our way back to Jack's room, chattin' away about how Jack was like a brother to me, and how she knew it, and how she was revelin' in the fact that she was right about somethin' that involved emotions for such a stubborn person as myself, and then we finally made it to Jack's room. I opened the door and had to immediately shield my eyes, as the light in the room was practically blindin' me. "Mother Nature...what is goin' on!"

"It must be the Nightlight side of him. Nightlight could control his brightness against darkness and foes if you'll remember correctly." She told me as she too was havin' to shield her eyes. "It's likely that Nightlight is trying to fight against the darkness like he did so long ago."

"Well, do somethin'!"

I felt her walk past me and I heard Jack practically growling at her as she got closer. "Aster, I can't get close to him. The light along with the ice coming out of him...you're the only one out of the two of us that might have any luck.

"Me!?"

"Yes you, Aster!" I could hear her gasp in shock, but I couldn't see anythin'. "You need to get over here now, and try something!"

I let my feet guide me towards the bed using muscle memory that they've acquired over the day and a half I had known about Jack's room. As I got closer the light seemed to dim just enough to where I could see him, and he was in pain. "H-He's in pain!"

"Alright, so do something, I can't see anything. The light is blinding me. I will be just outside the room if you need me!"

I heard the door close, and I tried to focus on Jack who was writhin' in pain, clutchin' at his sides and dragging his nails across his arms. "Jack, c'mon, mate! You can fight this!"

"Bunny!" He screamed in pain as he turned his head towards me.

"That's right, Jack. I'm right here and I'm not goin' anywhere 'till you're okay."

"W-Who...Who is...Jack!?" His word echoed painfully in my mind and I felt as if my heart shattered, but I had to be here for him. No matter who he was at the moment.

"What's your name?"

"You should know it...My name is...Nightlight...Although...that...doesn't...seem entirely...right...nor...does it seem...entirely...wrong..." He grunted and growled in pain in between his words, and every word cut me like a knife, but he said it felt wrong to call himself Nightlight, so there was a glimmer of hope for all of us who have grown to like Jack.

"Nightlight..." I whispered out painfully.

"W-Why am I...why am I covered...in...ice!? Why...am I...in so much...pain!? Where...where am I!?"

"Pitch attacked you, and...and you fought him back..."

"Pitch!? But...I thought..." His eyes shot open at me, and I couldn't help but gasp in shock at what I saw. It was no longer one blue eye and one maple colored eye. Now there was one that was an arctic blue and one that was as green as the purest spring leaf.  _'It can't hurt to tell him...surely...'_  But before I could even voice the truth towards him he screamed in agony once more, causin' a bright flash of light and nearly the entire room iced over as the light dimmed down to normal levels. His breathin' was haggard as he started to open his eyes again and they were still green and blue, but the expression on his face didn't match Nightlight's from earlier. "A-Aster?"

"J-Jack!?" My heart dared to hope, even for a second, and the hope that had barely begun to rise had bursted when he gave me a confused nod. "JACK!" I rushed forward and I yanked him into a tight hug as carefully as I could while avoiding the ice spires.

"W-What happened? Why...am I covered...in ice...and who...who is Nightlight...also...Aster...can't breathe..."

I pulled away in embarrassment and laughed nervously. "Right, sorry 'bout that, mate...um...You um...I..."

"You can't answer me...can you?"

"I-I can. I-It's just...difficult to explain..."

"Okay...well...I'm gonna guess that this ice...and the black stuff in it...has something to...do with Pitch."

"It does...it's from when you knocked him out of the sky...apparently some of his nightmare sand made its way into your body. When that happens, usually someone changes into what's known as a fearling...but they always have the small chance of bein' able to fight it, and well...that's where you're at..."

"Okay...and who's Nightlight?"

"He um...well...in all honesty...he's you."

"Excuse me?" He asked me with a stunned look of disbelief. "Did ya hit your head, Cottontail? I'm Jack...I've always been Jack."

"No I didn't hit my head, and no...you weren't Jack...not always at least. You used to be someone called Nightlight. In a battle with Pitch an extremely long time ago, you defeated him. However, you fell to Earth, and we all thought you had died somewhere in the battle after he was defeated. That is not the case though. Manny knew who ya were because...you were originally Manny's guardian when he was a baby. When you fell to Earth, you had no memory of who you were, and so ya wondered around not knowin' who ya were...then a family took ya in. You had apparently admitted that you didn't know who ya were. So...since they saw that you were a good person...they accepted you into their family...givin' ya the name, Jackson Overland Frost. Mother Nature made her own version of a Tooth memory box and made artificial teeth that Tooth didn't notice weren't real. They held real memories, but if it's further back than fourteen...they were artificial. Mother Nature told me all of this, and I'm sorry if it's a bit of a shock to ya..."

"A  _bit_  of a shock!? Bunny...I'm either as old or older than Manny...If what you're saying is true...then...there's an entire life I don't know about...again!"

"That's true...but neither time was your fault...Manny just knew it would happen again the second time around."

"Manny...he made me like this...he made me unseen...he didn't speak to me for three hundred years!" His anger grew and in his arctic blue eye, I saw a flicker of a sickening silver mixed with gold just for a second, and where there was black sand in the ice...It seemed to increase in density.

"Mate...ya gotta calm down...Perhaps...perhaps ya can ask him later tonight, yeah?"

He looked at me with patient eyes and the anger began to die off. I looked to the ice spires and to my surprise as his anger died off, the black sand seemed to decrease. "I would love to talk with him...but Aster...I've tried talking to him for three hundred years! He hasn't answered me once! Also...I know nothing about Nightlight aside from what you told me...and frankly, he sounds incredible...so why didn't Manny just turn me back into Nightlight?"

"That...he really didn't talk to you?"

"Nope! I had tried and tried and tried I don't know how many times."

"Well...considerin' the circumstances, I have a feelin' he'll talk to ya now."

"Fine...but I can't exactly get out of this..."

I touched the ice, and noticed that it really and truly was nothin' but ice...just with black sand mixed in, but it was somethin' I could help him with. "Well...if ya trust me...I may be able to melt it. It just might be a bit painful for ya."

"How painful are we talking here, Aster?"

"It may burn...but it's nothin' Mother Nature and I can't heal."

He looked at his core, his legs, and his chest. All the places where violent and jagged ice spires were coming out of him and he let out a shaky sigh. "Go ahead."

I nodded at him, closed my eyes to focus, and carefully hovered my hands over the spires. I focused on the earthy floor and the warmth that surrounded me. I felt the power surge from my feet and to my paws. It filled me with a joyful and hopeful spring warmth. I opened my eyes and pushed that power even further into my paws, and was glad to see a soft warm orange glow that melted the ice, but unfortunately caused Jack a great deal of pain as it started to burn some of his skin. "Just hold on a little longer, mate." It took a while, and the screamin' would likely remain in my ears for all time, but I had finally melted the last spire, which was the twelfth spire. Once I pulled away, the bed he laid on made quick work to heal the burns, causin' me to sigh in relief that he didn't have to suffer for long.

Once all of the burns were healed, he tried to get up, but apparently a dizzy spell had different plans as he fell back against the bed. After huffin' out a laugh, he carefully sat back up, and dangled his legs off the bed. "I guess...I guess I'm gonna need help. Hey, you still have my staff right?"

"Yeah, it's right here." I grabbed it from behind me up against the dresser, and tried to give it to him, but he held up his hand and shook his head at me. "What's wrong, don't you want it?"

"I trusted you with it...and..." He held a hand to his chest and looked at it, then he looked to me and smiled. "I trust you with my names. I may not have any memory of Nightlight, or many as Jackson...but I trust you, E. Aster Bunnymund with my name of Nightlight and Jackson Overland Frost. It felt like I did so by giving you my staff, but I wanted to actually say it." A warm feelin' found its way into my heart and it was accompanied by a sudden migraine. As the migraine increased, my hears began to ring. I looked at Jack and it was happenin' to him to.  _'Ah! This fucking hurts!'_

My eyes shot wide in shock as the ringing began to dim.  _'Those...weren't my thoughts...and that sounded like...'_

Then, his eyes opened in the same amount of shock mine held.  _'Aster? Can I...can I hear your thoughts?'_

_'And I can apparently hear yours as well, mate. What's goin' on?'_

"Oh and how the hell should I know?" He voiced with a mixed expression of amused and irritated.

"I can answer that." Mother Nature walked in, looked at Jack and her eyes widened, but she tried to stay as neutral as possible. "The two of you openly trusted each other with your original names. Your true names. So...now the two of you share a bond with a link of a sort. So far, the power of the link is that the two of you can hear each other's thoughts now. It won't matter how far away the two of you are, you'll be able to hear each other."

"That's um...that's interesting...but what the hell do you mean by 'so far?'"

"Well...no one really knows what else could happen. There's a bunch of possibilities."

"Did Manny discuss the possibilities with you?"

"He did..."

"Well...what's another possibility?"

She shook her head and let out a short sigh. "The two of you will have to find that out. I can't give you all the answers. Then, you never learn."

"Right...I forgot...ya like to educate and play games all at the same time." I remarked sarcastically, and another peach met with my face. "Dammit woman! Where are ya gettin' the peaches!?"

"I'm Mother Nature, you over grown rabbit! And you will not speak to me that way in my own domain."

"Hey!" I heard Jack shout and his face looked furious. I had thought perhaps he would defend me, but what came out of his mouth was both amusing and shocking. "Why is it you only throw peaches at him, but you send the wind, rain, and plants after me?"

"Because, my sweet little snowflake, I have personally raised you in a manner of speaking. I know that I taught you to act better than the tantrums you used to throw long ago. Not only that, but it would be incredibly foolish of me to try and send the elements after Aster of all people. He would just as easily be able to turn them around or make them halt entirely. Besides, I'm still cross with you about the time you destroyed my kitchen just because you didn't want me to go to North's New Year's part back in the 80's"

"Ah, but which 80's are we talking about? 1880's or 1980's?" He laughed out with a sarcastic look in his eyes.

"1980's you smart mouthed child."

"I had to get it from somewhere,  _Mother_."

"Indeed you did, and I blame Manny."

"Speaking of which...how many hours until he's here?" I asked in an attempt to stop the amusing fight.

"In my domain he can show up whenever he pleases."

"Um...I don't see how that works." Jack stated, and I had to agree with him.

"I have a special type of globe. I call it the Manny globe. If he is on the other side of the Earth, then that side will light up, and he will talk to me from there. I could take you, but Jack needs rest, and you need to stay with him in case something like that happens again."

"But I don't have a bed in here." I stated as I looked around the room as if a bed would magically appear, and thanks to Mother Nature, a bed did magically appear. It was quite similar to my nest back home at the Warren. It was a lovely risen bed of grass that dipped largely in the middle with a heap of soft pillows and blankets. "Well, alright then."

"You're in my domain, Aster. I can pretty much do anything I want. Now, the two of you need to rest. I feel as if you will have a long day tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mother." Jack said fondly, and I couldn't help the smile that crept on my face.

"Goodnight, Mother Nature." I told her and she gave a polite smile to the both of us as she left the room and turned the light off. I crawled into my nest that was on the other side of Jack's room. Once I was comfortable, I felt compelled to look up and was in awe of what I saw. Almost instantly I was able to feel the tears stream down my fur. "J-Jack...the ceiling..."


	11. Aster's Past

"Yeah, it's amazing isn't it? I've dreamed of outer space since I could remember...well...as Jack Frost anyway. When I would get sleep that is...which was usually if I came here or Mother forced me." He let out a soft chuckle before he continued. Meanwhile, I will still starin' at the scene above us, which quickly started to encompass the whole room. It was like we were actually in outer space with how it surrounded us. "I told Mother about the dreams I had and she enchanted the room like this to keep me from wanting to stay awake. It's soothing...however, it's always the same area...this one, and it's because I told her about the one I had most often, which was me just floating around the stars, but there was always one planet that was there. It made me feel more peaceful than the other stars and planets did."

"J-Jack...stop t-talkin', mate." My heart felt like it was stabbed but in a good way somehow. My breath was shaky, and the fur on my cheeks was gettin' soaked the more and more I looked around us. My heart was hammerin' away in my chest, and I didn't want to tell him why. I just wanted to lay here and never leave.

However, he couldn't just let me do that apparently. I heard him shift slightly and he must've seen the expression on my face, because I heard him gasp slightly. "Aster...are you okay? What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no, and certainly not. I just...it's um...it's beautiful...breathtaking...peaceful...yeah..."

"Bunny...please tell me what's wrong?"

Not able to take my eyes off of the planet in front of my vision and the stars that surrounded us, I let out an shaky sigh before swallowin' the lump in my throat. "That um...that planet right there...the one on the ceiling...the one with all of the greens, reds, purples, and blues...that's my home world, Jacky."

"That's..." I didn't have to look to know his eyes had widened.

"Yeah..." I started before he could ask any questions. "That's my home world. The...the last time I saw it...it had...it had been destroyed. Everyone...everyone had...they all..." Suddenly I heard shuffling feet and I was yanked out of my comfortable nest by an icy hand, and yanked into a freezin' yet comfortin' hug.

"It's okay, Aster. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that...you don't have to tell me anything else if you don't want to. You've told me a bit, but if it...if it's painful, you don't have to."

"I..." I couldn't help the choked sob that came out when I tried to speak, and that's when all of my walls had crumbled. I clutched the back of his shirt as tightly as I could as if he were to disappear any moment, and I sobbed into his shoulder as I crouched lower. Once I felt my tears were spent, even though I'm relatively sure they weren't, I slowly pulled myself away from Jack's tight hold on me, and thankfully he relented. I looked up at my home world and I let out a strange sort of cry laugh. "I never thought...I didn't even dare to hope that...that I would ever see it again. I watched it get destroyed, Jack."

"Aster...can I show you something? If I had known it was your home world, I would've shown you sooner, but...just...can I show you?"

"I don't know if it can beat me seeing my home world again, but sure. Go for it, Jacky." I grinned as honestly as I did when Jamie told me that Jack got him to believe in me, and I noticed that Jack was giving me a sheepish yet knowin' smile.

"It will, trust me."

Jack jumped up and touched the ceiling where the planet was, and suddenly we were drawn into the planet. Once we seemed to be on the ground of my home world, I lost it all over again. I instantly became an ugly sobbin' mess as I looked around Jack's room. The enchantment of zoomin' in onto the planet made the furniture disappear, and I noticed somethin' else as well. The grass was warmer than it was earlier. "J-Jack...?" I stuttered out, not darin' to hope that was even within a realm of possibility.

He held his hand out to mine with a friendly smile. "C'mon, Cottontail. Show me around a bit."

I shook my head and staggered back, expectin' to hit a wall, but I didn't. Instead I fell on my butt and just like it would've on my home world, fireflies that glowed many different colors erupted from the grass beneath me. "This can't be...how...what?"

"I had asked Mother Nature if it were possible for me to go to the planet. I was half asleep when I asked, but she said she could do it, but there wouldn't be anyone inhabiting it. She said that it would take a lot of magic and power to do so...and that she would have to go through my dreams, my soul, my magic, and she said she had to look through five different books of the landscape of the planet. She told me that there were many more things involved with creating...this...but she said it was possible. She also said that she always took one seed from every planet she had ever been to...I didn't know...but...she used a seed from this planet. Your planet. I was extremely grateful for the spell and the enchantment, but I felt guilty about it right after. She was down for about a week because of the toll it took on her...but she told me it was very important that she did this. Now I know why...so...you gonna show me around?"

"I...I must be asleep...that's the only thing that could..." Before I could finish I felt something cold and powdery hit my face. I wiped it off my nose and it was snow. Jack had thrown a snowball at me. I looked around and I was still in the warm grass.

"This is real, Aster. We're really here...well...sort of...considering your planet is gone...this is apparently a perfect replica...at least that's what Mother Nature said."

"Wait...a  _perfect_  replica?" I quickly asked as I hopped to my feet. "And...and I can actually move around yeah? Like...we're not actually confined in your room...I can run about?"

"Yeah...although I thought you would've realized that when you fell on your butt." As the tears continued to fall freely from my eyes, and my heart began poundin' away with a new found joy and hope, I immediately took off to a place I knew wasn't far because of the landscape. "Aster! Wait!" I heard him shout from behind me, but my heart wouldn't let me turn around. I ran faster than my legs had ever carried me, and soon, I was where I wanted to be. I heard Jack rush up behind me, out of breath from the strain of havin' to keep up with me, but right now I could care less. "Aster...what is...this...place?"

"It...It's...It's where I called home. The one that I loved...we weren't just plannin' to have kits...the day...the very day that she told me...the day she told me we were expectin'...was the same day that I lost everything. Pitch took out everyone, but he didn't stop there...he obliterated my entire planet. I was to be a father...and I..."

"Aster...I'm so sorry...I can't even imagine...I am sorry if this upsets you."

"Oh...trust me, Jack...this hurts more than you can ever imagine...but you unwittingly gave me something that practically washes away the pain like waves on sand."

"What would that be?"

"Ya gave me Hope, but ya gave me so much more than that, and in fact...ya may have just put the other guardians out of a job in my book. I've dreamed of my home world, but I never thought I would ever see it again, and because of how devastating the loss was...it was hard to remember what the world looked like. I remembered vaguely of the plant life...and my home...there's also the fact that this is the most wonderful thing I have ever seen with my own eyes in a very long time. So, Jack...ya gave this old Bunny Hope, a dream come true, Wonder, and you brought forth the happiest of memories that I thought were long gone over time."

"Wow...I think you're giving me too much credit there..."

"No, Jack...I'm not givin' ya enough credit. I don't know why you had dreamed of my home world or why it gave ya such peace, but I am...glad doesn't even begin to describe it. I don't even think there's a word for how grateful in my own native language."

"Y-You're welcome..." His eyes looked at me with astonishment and his own happy tears that shed slowly. I could tell they were there because he was happy for me...but it still unsettled me a bit.

"Do you...do you want to see the inside?"

"I...I don't really think I should...I mean...I..."

"Jack, I trust you, and I will likely never find a way to thank you. Even if you didn't know it was my world...you still dreamed it up, and because you mentioned it to Mother Nature, she decided that she would give this to you, more than likely knowin' which planet you were talkin' about. Even with all that...you, Jack Frost, gave me somethin' I could have never dreamed to hope for. I...there's not words...Let me show you who I was before my planet was destroyed." My heart was so full of Hope, Wonder, and Joy I almost couldn't contain it, and on any other givin' day I would've hated how I sounded, but my heart wouldn't let me feel anything else but the resounding Hope and Joy.

He nodded his head hesitantly, and I opened my door to my home. I took in a gasp of shock as everything was exactly how it was left. It was as if I was walkin' into my home while she was out workin' in the fields. The furniture was still in their very spots. The chair made out of willow wood, fresh moss, grass, lavender, and lilac still sat peacefully near the fire place. "That...that was her chair. I...when I courted her...I made her things. I made her that chair, and even though I didn't think much of it, I thought I had done a poor job of it...she said it was the best gift I had ever given her. It made the burrow smell like lavender and lilac."

"Like your home in the warren?"

"Exactly like my home in the warren, but that was a happy accident. I didn't actually force that smell into my home. I dug this burrow out myself just a few months before courtin' her. I wanted her to have a place to live if she accepted...and honestly...I didn't expect her to, but I wanted everythin' to be perfect. We had known each other since we were five. She was a bit taller than me, but I didn't care about that at all."

"Wow...you were completely smitten with her, weren't you."

"Oh, Jacky...you don't know the half of it. I would often trip over my own tongue just tryin' to talk to her, and Moon knows I didn't deserve her. I wasn't really known for my good attitude or patience. Yet...she seemed to be able to have enough patience for the both of us...and she made me a better Pooka."

"She sounds like she was a wonderful Pooka herself."

"Oh she was. Look here..." I pointed at the painting next to the fireplace. "I painted that for her when she accepted me courtin' her. That's her standin' next to me in the paintin'." We both looked at the paintin' which had me wearin' a black undershirt that was mostly covered by a long emerald green over coat that went down to my thighs. It had swirling yellow embroidery around where the egg shaped buttons rested, and it was trimmed with golden fabric on the outer edges. I didn't paint pants, because it was a waist up portrait, but I was wearin' black pants when I painted this. My fur was darker, and younger at the time.

"Wow...her fur is really blue."

"Yeah...Her fur was a midnight blue, her eyes were cerulean blue, and the markings on her fur were like white and light blue stardust that was sprinkled across her arms. The dress in the painting was her favorite. I almost didn't get the color right, but it was a beautiful lavender colored dress with loose frills as sleeves."

"Yeah, she does look beautiful. I gotta admit."

"Oh, she was more than beautiful, mate. The paintin' does her no justice. She was...she was miraculous and wonderful...and she was kind, and patient. She was more than what I deserved. I loved her so much...when I found out how much I loved her, I practically panicked." I laughed at the memory of it all. "I thought that it would be impossible for someone like her to return the feelin's of someone like me...and then when she allowed me to court her...I thought that surely no one was allowed to be allotted that much happiness and hope all at once. Then...I asked her to be mine officially once the courtin' was complete, and she said yes. I..." I chuckled slightly at the fond memory, and looked up to Jack expectin' a patient look or a rollin' of the eyes, but no...he stood there with pure fascination and sympathy in his eyes. So, I continued. "I actually fainted out of pure joy. When I came to, she had brought me some warm tea, and she was laughin' at me. We had a good laugh about it, and sometimes she would bring it up if I was ever gettin' too full of myself...but yeah...she was amazin'." I looked back at the paintin' and sighed heavily. I missed her. I missed my family and friends, but more than anythin' I missed her, and my heart ached. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked at Jack and almost as if he could read my emotions plain as day he gave a sympathetic smile to me and looked back at the paintin'.

"Aster...we can come here whenever you like. I know it may be painful, but at least in a way, this place still exists. I can't give you back the Pookas...and if I had known it was your world I had been seeing for so long, then I would've told you...but...this way, you can come back to your home world...in a way.

I was speechless at the offer, and really I should've expected somethin' like that from Jack, but at the same time I didn't. "Thank you, Jack." Was all I could voice, and he gave me a nod. I looked around my old home and smiled fondly at it all. "So...you've seen the livin' room, you want to see the rest of the burrow?"

"Only if you want to."

"Yeah...I really do."

"Then lead the way, Aster."

I beamed brightly as I took him to the kitchen. "I made everythin' in this house by hand. Every piece of furniture, every wall, every paintin', and I made everythin' that works. The kitchen included."

I showed him the kitchen and the look on his face was priceless. It looked like his jaw was about to fall off. "This..."

"Yup, all of this space was for cookin'." I opened my arms wide and gestured to the very large room that was a thousand square feet. I gestured towards the sink, the eight foot tall coolin' cell where we held things that needed to be cooled or kept cool. Then, there were the counters that went about twelve feet from left to right, the stove and oven I had carved myself was made out of a special type of stone that naturally held the heat of our sun.

"This is a huge kitchen, Aster."

"I know...but when your species' minimum height is six feet tall and the maximum height is seven feet...and you eventually plan to have kits...you need a large kitchen. Actually, this is fairly small compared to most other burrows, but she never complained." I looked around, feelin' once again proud of the hard work I put into my home.

"How um...how long were the two of you...married?"

"The year that I lost everythin'...we would've been married for ninety-two years."

"NINETY-TWO YEARS!?"

"Yeah...what's wrong with that?"

"Well...some couples are lucky to see sixty or seventy years...but ninety-two!? And that's when you decided to have kits?"

"No, we had decided to have kits ten years into bein' married...we had been tryin' since then. Then, she tells me she's expectin' and she's three months along."

"And then Pitch happened..."

"Yeah...he did...but I kept movin' forward."

"So...I know it's a bit personal but..."

"Frostbite, this whole trip has been personal."

"Right." He chuckled out nervously. "Well...why did it take you two so long to get pregnant?"

"Pookas aren't like humans. There's a lot more that factors in. Two Pooka have to be compatible in not only a physical aspect, but in an emotional aspect. There's also the fact that Kits are rare anyway, because Pooka only court and mate once every millennia. So...it actually takes a rather long time before a mated couple can expect a kit or kits."

"So...basically...you had to prove to each other after so many years that it was the right decision...and kits are rare so...is there such a thing as a mated couple not having any kits?"

"Oh...it happens. Sometimes they can try for five hundred years before havin' just one kit. She was pregnant with triplets. Someone havin' twins is somethin' to truly be in awe about...it's rare...even rarer than kits in general...but triplets...well...if there was more than two kits at a time, then the leaders would deem that as perfect proof at a perfect bond."

"Perfect bond?"

"Yeah...you see...you can court and mate someone...but if ya ain't a perfect bond...well..."

"So...do all Pookas who have kits have a perfect bond?"

"Essentially yes. However, there are three things that can determine if you don't have a perfect bond. Usually it would be decided that the bond isn't perfect after a full millennia. One, you don't have any kits after a millennia. Two, if you fight or argue with your mate more often than you show everyone that you love and care for them, and three...if they are still able to be attracted to another Pooka."

"So...no room for cheating, huh?"

"No...if your bond is perfect with your mate, you would never even entertain the idea. It happened with my father though. My mother and Father had been together for nine hundred years and he was still able to be attracted to another Pooka. I was barely three years old. Now...when somethin' like that happens, a Pooka that is able to have a kit, but can still be attracted to another Pooka...that means that their bond with their mate was very strong, but not perfect. I know that my Father loved my Mother, but the bond just wasn't strong enough. It happens and it isn't entirely frowned upon, but if he had ever acted on his wantin' for another Pooka, then it would've been frowned upon."

"So...because your mate was pregnant with triplets...that meant the two of you had a perfect bond before a thousand years."

"That's correct. It meant that our compatibility, our love, our trust, and our bond with one another was so perfect and in sync that she was able to be pregnant with triplets."

"Aster...are you alright?"

My head shot up to look at Jack. I hadn't realized that I had lowered my head, nor did I realize that I had started cryin'. "I..." I wiped away a stray tear and shook my head. "I don't think I'm gonna be alright for the rest of my life. I had healed somewhat from my race being destroyed...but every year on our anniversary, I mourn and I don't do anything for Easter that day. I set the table for two, but no one sits there. I loved her more than words could ever say. I loved her more than the whole of the planet and the stars that surrounded it...It has been well past millennia and I still love her as if she were here."

"Huh...I believe you're gettin' soft, Cottontail."

"Always for her. I was never really all that pleasant before her...but she...she made me a better Pooka."

"Have you told the others this?"

"No...but tellin' you is the least I could do for you showin' this to me. You didn't have to. Ya could've just let me continue to gaze at my home world...but you allowed me to see it once more...and I'm even allowed to see it any time I wish. I truly couldn't ask anythin' better than this." Suddenly, a brighter light started to shine, and I found myself turnin' to Jack for answers.

He gave a sigh and a remorseful smile. "Seems like we've been here all night. It's time to leave."

"Really...we can't stay for just a bit longer?"

"I can only come here at night...we can come again, don't worry."

"Alright." He grabbed my paw and held it in his hand as the light began to get brighter and brighter until I saw nothin' but white. Soon the white faded and we were back in Jack's room, and I was breathless by everythin' that just happened. "Thank you, Jack."

"Y-You're...you're...Ast...Ast..." Before I could react Jack fell against the floor of his room and he glowed brightly for a split second before openin' his eyes again, which were ice blue and maple brown.

"JACK! Are ya alright, mate?"

"W...Who are you? Where am I...where is Sarah? I was on the ice and I fell in...and I woke up here...How do you know my name? W-What are you?"

"Oh no..." My heart which was filled with Joy and Hope crashed into despair and worry.


	12. Hidden Memories

"Mother Nature!" I shouted.

"Mother Nature? You've got to be...kidding." His Jaw dropped once she suddenly appeared in the room and she looked at Jack then me with a look of concedned confusion.

"What's wrong, Aster? Is Jack okay?"

"H-How do the two of you know my name? Where is my sister?"

"Oh...my sweet snowflake..." She clasped her hands over her mouth and glanced at me briefly before helpin' Jack up. "Well uh...we know you because we're your friends."

"I think I would remember bein' friends with Mother Nature herself and a humanoid kangaroo."

"I am not a kangaroo, mate. I'm the Easter Bunny." Oh, how I felt how bitter my words were to him. The last time I said it to him, it was in spite, but right now it was in pure sadness that tried to disguise itself as a 'matter-of-fact' tone.

"The...The Easter Bunny?" His eyes went wide with so much Wonder and Joy it made me wonder for a split second how would Jack and I treated each other if we met when he was human and then was turned into a spirit. Thankfully I didn't have to wonder any longer, because he extended his hand out to me. "I'm Jackson Overland. Pleasure to meet you um..."

"Aster. Although, everyone else...aside from Mother Nature...they call me Bunny." I shook his hand and I was met with one of the friendliest smiles I had seen in my life. 'Surely losing his memory couldn't have affected him so much...what had happened to him before we had met him?'

"Right...Aster...okay. So...you're Mother Nature? I've heard a thing or two about you." He turned to her, and she hid her sorrow well, but the Hope in her chest faltered slightly. "Yes sweetie, and it seems your memories aren't all intact. We know each other well...you and I."

"You mean we...?" He gestured his hand between him and Mother Nature, and it took all I had not to bust out laughin'

"Oh dear Moon no!" She laughed out, and the Hope bubbled slightly but decreased once more. "No...you're like a son to me, and have been for a long time."

"How long is a long time?"

"Well uh...two hundred and fifty years give or take."

"T-Two h-hundred and...you've got to be joking!"

"I'm not...you're a...well, you're a spirit."

"I-I'm a ghost! S-so I really did die in the pond."

"Yes you died, but no, you are not a ghost. To us...your name is Jack Frost."

"Well...yeah...that's my name anyhow."

"Yes we know...but you are Jackson Overland Frost...the you we know is just simply, Jack Frost. You've been a spirit for three hundred years, and you are a winter spirit. Well...I guess it's okay to tell you...but you're actually the embodiment of winter."

"I...I'm what!?"

"You're a..."

"No, I heard you the first time...it's just...I always figured...I had always believed in seasonal spirits...The Easter Bunny, Santa, The tooth fairy, and even the Sandman...so...with all that, I figured that if I had every turned into a seasonal spirit...I would be a spirit with my favorite season and holiday."

"Oh, and what would that be, mate?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, I love spring, and my favorite holiday is Easter."

"Ya don't say." My eyes widened a great deal at his words. "Could ya...could ya tell me why Easter is your favorite holiday?"

"Well...Easter is New beginnings...new life. Easter is about Hope."

"Mate..." I whispered out with what little breath I had left.

"Did I say something wrong, Aster?"

"N-No. Not at all, Jack. Just..." I shook my head and tried to focus on lettin' Jack know who he was, since it seemed that was what Mother Nature was tryin' to do. "Look, ya just gotta believe us...you're the spirit of winter...and right now...you're fightin' some pretty nasty stuff."

"Like what?"

"Well, you helped us in the fight against...well I guess you would know him better as the boogeyman."

"You mean Pitch Black?" He rose an eyebrow curiously as he looked at me. "Why would I fight Pitch?"

"Y-Ya knew him?" I stuttered out in disbelief.

"Yeah, pretty well in fact."

"Ya WHAT!?" Both Mother Nature and I shouted at him, and he winced slightly.

"I guess...that's not an answer you were expecting."

"Um...NO! It wasn't. How do ya know him?" I questioned a bit harshly.

"Well...we had fun together. He would help me put on shadow plays for the kids. He made hide and seek interesting for the others when he would place my shadow somewhere else. He taught me how to throw my voice around so that I could trick the other kids when we played hide and seek or tag."

"Wait..." Mother Nature started hesitantly. "So...he was kind to you?"

"Well not at first...but he seemed shocked that I could see him. He tried to scare me, but I laughed, he tried to scare me with horses. I reached up and petted what he called a nightmare. He tried to ignore me quite a bit after that, but I was persistent and..."

"Hold, up before ya continue any further...Mother Nature...that thing ya said about his memories and his teeth..."

"I...well...I couldn't see Pitch in his memories, because I never wanted to see him again...but...he was apparently there. Tell us more, Jack."

"O-Okay...? Well...I was persistent and he asked me why I kept following him, if I was mocking him, and I told him neither was true. I followed him, because he seemed interesting and in desperate need of some fun. He um...look...I don't know if it's possible...and I don't know why I'm asking this, but is it possible that you can see my memories?"

"Y-Yes...and we won't need your teeth for it..."

"Why won't we need his teeth?" I raised my brow at her.

"Because, we are in my domain. Everything Magical has different rules here." I watched as she carefully placed a gentle hand on his forehead and something light green colored started to glow in her hand, but there was also small bits of black. She held it close for a second before tossing it at one of the walls, and just like with his teeth before, it started to play as if we were really there, but this time it surrounded the whole room.

Jack had followed small movements of shadows, and though none of us knew what time it was exactly, it was clearly nighttime. He had apparently snuck out of his room, and was headin' towards the woods. _"Pitch?"_

_"Oh, go away!"_

_"Why?"_

_"You're a pest, that's why!"_

_"No, that's not why. You want me to go away because I'm not afraid of you."_

_"Well good job to you. You figured it out, now go."_

_"No."_

_"WHY!?"_

_"Because...you're lonely."_

_"Huh?"_ This time Pitch actually came out of the shadows and gave Jack a questionin' look. _"And what would you know about my loneliness?"_

_"I know what it looks like in children, and that's what I see in you. Plus a few other things...but loneliness is quite strong...I can tell."_

_"You're not a...you're not a spirit boy are you?"_ Pitch leaned in closer to Jack, and Jack hadn't budged an inch, but merely smiled.

 _"No, I'm quite real. See?"_ Jack gently placed a hand on Pitch's arm and Pitch seemed to reel back at the feeling.

"You didn't go through me..."

_"Well of course not. You're as real as any tree in this forest. Tell me...if I could see you, what made you think that I wouldn't be able to touch you?"_

_"It's just...not something I'm used to."_

_"Hmm...well...how about we be friends then?"_

_"What?"_

_"Are you deaf? I said how about we be friends."_

_"Why would you want to be friends with me? You do realize that I'm the boogeyman right? I'm nightmares, darkness, and fear."_

Jack started snickerin', then chucklin', and then he was full blown laughin'. _"You...you don't actually believe that do you?"_

_"I think I would know myself more than you do."_

_"Everyone thinks that. Everyone thinks they know themselves better than anyone else. Usually, they are wrong, and you are definitely wrong. Sure, you can GIVE nightmares, and you can CREATE darkness, and you can CAUSE fear...but you aren't actually those things yourself. Those are just things that you can do."_

_"That's...quite the perspective you have, child."_

_"Jackson. My name is Jackson...but my friends call me Jack."_

_"Very well...Jackson. What will it take to get rid of you?"_

_"Have a bit of fun."_

_"Excuse me?"_

_"You heard me. Have a bit of fun."_

_"And how exactly do you expect me to have any fun if I'm not creating fear_ _and chaos?"_

 _"Hmm...well...you can create darkness right? Meet me behind the largest barn tomorrow evening, and I'll show you."_ He started walkin' away, but was stopped by Pitch grabbin' for his arm.

Jack turned around and faced him with a questionin' look. _"You can't know if I'll actually show."_

_"Oh, yes I can. You're intrigued, I can tell. Besides...with how you reacted to a mere touch, I would imagine it's been quite a long time since anyone has seen you. I highly doubt you'll let that go just because you find me annoying. See you tomorrow evening, Pitch."_

Our surroundin's morphed to exactly where Jack had asked Pitch to meet him. "Alright, Jackson, I'm here. What is it you wanted to waste my time with."

_"I promise, it won't be a waste of your time."_

_"We will see."_

Soon, about three or four kids showed up and they were all smilin' brightly as they ran closer to Jack. Each one tried to get their own hug in, which ended up with Jack toppling over. _"Alright..."_ He laughed out. _"Alright, I surrender!"_

_"Yay! We won!"_

_"That, you did. Now...I believe a reward is in order."_

_"A shadow play?"_ A young girl of about five questioned with delight.

_"Ah yes...but this one will be different."_

_"How will it be different?"_ Jack's sister asked.

_"Because, I will be having a friend helping me."_

_"Well where is he?"_ A blonde haired boy asked.

 _"He is right next to me."_ Jack said as he gestured his hands towards Pitch.

 _"There's no one there, Jack."_ Jack's little sister Sarah stated.

_"Well, then you just can't see him that's all. You see, he's an expert at shadow plays."_

_"He is!?"_ Sarah exclaimed with excitement.

_"Yes, he can do a lot more unique shadows than I can, so he's gonna help me tell you a story."_

_"I am?"_ Pitch asked, but the kids couldn't hear him, so Jack simply nodded.

 _"What's the story?"_ The blonde child asked.

 _"It's the story about..."_ Jack glanced at Pitch who just crossed his arms, and if I didn't know any better, I would say that his lips twitched into a small smile for a millisecond. _"It's the story about..."_ Jack continued to look at Pitch, and finally asked him. _"Well, my invisible friend...what should the story be about?"_

Pitch was actually taken back by it, but his expression of shock quickly turned into one of confusion and fondness. _"How about the story about the boogeyman. How he came to be?"_

 _"A story about you?"_ Jack questioned, and the children just looked back with pure joy and amusement as Jack seemingly talked to no one.

_"Sure, why not?"_

_"Isn't that a bit personal for someone you don't know all that well?"_

_"I dunno..."_ Pitch looked up to the moon, and Jack followed his gaze with a quizzical expression. _"Someone is telling me to let the story be told."_

_"Someone, not something?"_

Pitch looked back at Jack and genuinely smiled at him, which sent shivers down my spine. I looked over to Mother Nature, and her mouth was open in shock, and her eyes had shone with fascination. _"Yes. So, for the first time in a very very long time...I will tell my story, but I will need your help. You should be able to follow along clearly enough."_

_"Alright...so the story is about the Boogeyman!"_

_"T-The boogeyman?"_ Sarah stuttered out. _"I thought...mama and papa said he wasn't real!"_

_"Oh he's real alright, but he isn't what you think when you hear his name."_

_"What do you mean?"_ Sarah asked.

 _"Hmm...what do I mean?"_ He asked as he looked back at Pitch who stared at him wide eyed for a moment.

_"How about we start with...he wasn't always bad..."_

_"Let's start with the beginning..."_ Jack started just as Pitch had told him. _"He wasn't always bad."_ Jack looked back at Pitch waitin' for the next words and Pitch gave them, and Jack began speaking after every sentence. _"His name wasn't even the boogeyman a long time ago. It was Kozmotis Pitchiner. He used to travel the galaxies fighting evil creatures that wished to do others harm. He once had a lovely wife, and a beautiful daughter..."_ Jack stopped and crossed his arms as he turned to face Pitch. _"Really...you had a daughter?"_

_"Oh yes...and she was quite the wild child, but she was...is...remarkable."_

_"Huh...okay...help me continue the story then..."_ Jack awaited the words, and Pitch soon gave them. I took a quick glance at Mother Nature and a single tear ran down her cheek, but I chose not to say or do anythin'. "Well...he had a beautiful daughter and she was quite the wild child. She liked to roam about and play with the earth with her own unique powers." Jack watched with his own fascination as Pitch began making shadows appear, and he immediately got into place to make sure that he was helpin' with the shadows. _"Now...before I continue...remember, he is a master of shadows, so his shadows will be better than mine, but that doesn't mean you can like him more than me."_

 _"Awe! We would never Jack!"_ The small child laughed out.

 _"Alright then...So, Kozmotis loved to allow his daughter to roam and he admired her free spirit, but her mother always constantly worried about her safety, because you see...Kozmotis wasn't merely someone who traveled the galaxies he was..."_ Jack heard Pitch say it but it caught him off guard quite a bit.

 _"He was what, Jack?"_ Sarah asked with enthusiasm.

 _"He was...he was Lord High General of the galaxies...it's the places beyond the stars you see up there. It's very far away...he was the general. He um...he looked after the planets as he kept them from danger."_ Soon, there was a shadow of Pitch riding a horse and what seemed to be stars, but they were really just small dots everywhere on the barn wall.

 _"WOW! He really is better than you, Jack!"_ The blonde boy shouted, and Jack gave a roll of his eyes and a slight huff.

 _"Well, anyway...He lived a happy life with his family, but then frightening creatures called nightmares and fearlings and just about every scary thing you can imagine came about to cause trouble. They liked to hurt people and planets and he couldn't have that. So, he got his friends together...you may have heard of them..."_ Jack watched as the shadows began to move about, and at this point he had given up on creatin' the shadows, because as he told the story he was bein' fed, which surprisingly wasn't a lie, he just watched as the words fell from his mouth while the shadows danced, and soon, we appeared. The guardians. _"...they are, Santa Clause, but his real name is North, Easter Bunny, Sandman, Toothiana...who is queen of the tooth fairies...and they fought against the evil creatures. They managed to eventually trap them in a special type of prison. However, it was suggested that there be a sort of...guard for the prison. He volunteered to guard it, and so he went. Now, what a lot of people don't know, is that the evil things could still whisper and sing and scream despite being in the special prison. He had tried every day to ignore their taunts, their whispers...but then one day...they caught him looking at a golden locket. It was precious to him, and it played the sound of his daughter's beautiful singing voice. Unfortunately, the dark and evil creatures used this against him. They mimicked her voice telling him that she was trapped and begging for her father to save her. He knew how wild and free his daughter could be, so naturally he assumed that perhaps one of the evil creatures had grabbed her while she was roaming just as they were being put into the cells. He panicked, his heart broke, his dreams had shattered, but he held onto all the hope he could that they didn't hurt her. He rushed to open the door and grab her, but once he was inside, he didn't see any sign of her. Then, the door locked behind him and their wicked laughter rang in his ears. They over took him and turned him into their king. The nightmare King. They had been proven to not be strong enough by themselves, so they needed a king."_

 _"That's very sad..."_ Sarah stated with a small tear.

 _"How is it sad?"_ Jack questioned, just curious to hear her answer.

_"Well...he loved his wife and daughter and was willing to guard the prison to keep everyone else safe...and because no one else saw it happen, I bet everyone just thought that he chose to be the nightmare king...huh?"_

Jack turned to face Pitch with a concerned and questioning expression. _"Yes...they did."_ Pitch answered, and he was right to an extent. I knew about everythin' up until the whispers, but I could tell he wasn't lyin'.

 _"Yes, they did..."_ Jack started and Pitch helped him continue. "However, he was eventually defeated by his old friends...Santa, Toothiana, Sandman, and the Easter Bunny, and for the brief moment when he was defeated he was blissfully glad that they had defeated him. What no one knew...was that while he could hear his own voice, use his own new power, and watch his own body move...on the inside he didn't have any control of that at first and it took him a very long time to get control."

 _"Then...how is he helping you tell the story?"_ Sarah asked.

 _"Good question..."_ Jack looked at Pitch and saw a smile grow on his face.

_"The man in the moon is shining on me right now, allowing me a small bit of freedom..."_

_"The man in the moon is helping him. You see...the man in the moon figured out what had happened, and even thought Kozmotis tried to hurt him, he didn't want him to suffer. So, he had decided that since I can see him, that I should be the one to help tell the story that only the two of them knew, in hopes that someday...somehow...his story would be told."_

_"What does he do now?"_ Sarah asked.

 _"He...he gives nightmares, creates darkness, and causes fear."_ Jack answered honestly, and the moon's light drifted off of Pitch.

_"Well...that's okay."_

_"Oh?"_ Both Pitch and Jack stared wide eyed at Sarah who seemed to feel better after the story was over.

_"Yeah, I mean...if I didn't have nightmares then I would have no reason to go into mama's room in the middle of the night for hugs, and if I didn't know what darkness was then it would be kind of impossible for a shadow play to happen, and if I didn't know fear, then I wouldn't fear getting hurt or in trouble and I would just do things without fearing consequence."_

_"Sarah...you're eight years old...and you already have such an understanding of things."_

_"That's what papa says."_ She beamed proudly. _"So...can the boogeyman play with us tomorrow?"_

 _"Well...do you believe in him?"_ Jack asked carefully as he looked at Pitch who seemed skeptical as he shrank inside of himself.

 _"I...I..."_ She looked next to Jack and her jaw dropped. _"I can see him! Your friend! That's Kozmotis?"_

 _"S-She can see me?"_ Pitch squeaked out in shock, and my jaw dropped in astonishment.

_"Yeah I can! Wow! So, you created the moving shadows? Awe...sad story...everyone else...can you see him too?"_

_"Y-Yeah!"_ They shouted and they started walking towards Pitch who had stray tears fallin'.

 _"Kozmotis...will you play with us tomorrow?"_ Sarah asked again.

_"I-I guess...I can...I um...you should know...it's been a very long time since I've...erm...played...with a child."_

_"Then, Jack can teach you! He's the best at it! Tomorrow...OH! Tomorrow is Easter! Hunt for eggs with us, please!"_

_"That...that wouldn't be a good idea."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Well...The Easter Bunny and I aren't exactly...um..."_ Pitch let out a heavy sigh. _"I hurt him badly...worse than anyone could ever imagine...we don't get along anymore."_

_"Well...perhaps if you hide in the shadows he won't see you. We're not afraid of you, so maybe he won't be worried."_

_"Perhaps you're right."_ He smiled, and ruffled her hair lightly. _"Tomorrow it is then."_

Our surroundings changed and it was a bright and shining day. Jack was runnin' ahead with the children and he heard his mother laughin' lightly. _"Jack, you can't have all the fun!"_

_"I'm not, they're with me too! We're gonna have great fun, right guys!?"_

_"Yeah!"_ The children cheered.

Jack's mother smiled as she went back to the house, and left them to their egg hunt. _"Alright...so...The Easter Bunny has hidden eggs. The mission...is to collect as many as possible! The one with the most...gets to go skating with me this upcoming winter...the one with the brightest...gets to dare me to do something dangerous...and...GO! Pitch, you play too!"_

 _"Oh...I'll be involved, but I won't be playing your little contest."_ Jack could see Pitch's shadow in the trees...but the only physical aspect he could see was his silver and golden eyes in the bark of the tree which rolled in exasperation. _"It's bright out here...too damn bright!"_

_"Language, Koz..."_

_"Koz?"_

_"A nickname. It's what friends give each other."_

_"Hmm...I have one for you..."_

_"Oh?"_

_"Frost!"_

_"How...that doesn't make sense, and it's my last name."_

_"It fits you perfectly. Frost is beautiful and fun. It is graceful and whimsical. It can also be stubborn and extremely hard to get rid of. I think it fits you perfectly. You touch those children's hearts like frost touches the earth or a window...and you wouldn't leave me alone!"_

_"Hmm...Frost it is...Koz."_

_"Just...go hunt some eggs. Hopefully before you lose your own contest."_

_"Crap!"_

_"Language."_ Pitch drawled out sarcastically. Jack laughed as he went in the hunt for eggs, and was quickly noticin' how his sister's basket had started to gain more eggs, and she certainly had the most interesting lime green egg with pink colored swirls. Jack chuckled to himself as he saw Pitch glide in the shadows, slippin' a bright blue egg into Sarah's basket. He waited for Sarah to walk away before he stomped on the shadow beneath him. _"OW! That hurt!"_ Pitch growled out as only his eyes were visible from the shadow of a tree.

_"Having fun with making my sister come ahead in the contest?"_

_"I have done no such thing!"_ His eyes widened.

_"Blue egg with purple stripes?"_

_"Ah...well...that was..."_ His golden and silver eyes slid to the side in obvious embarrassment.

_"That was what...the fifth egg she hadn't gotten herself? What happened to not playing in the contest?"_

_"I'm not...I kept my word...and I was involved...with Sarah getting more eggs."_

_"Taken a shine to her have ya?"_

_"I...she reminds me of my daughter."_

_"How so?"_ Jack leaned against the tree next to Pitch's with his basket of four eggs. _"You met her yesterday."_

_"She's carefree, adventurous, headstrong, eager to learn things, quick to believe in the impossible..."_

_"You could tell all that from just one night of knowing her?"_

_"Well...I could see it in her eyes when she spoke and as you told my story."_

_"Huh...alright then. Hey, let me ask you something..."_

_"It's not like I have a choice. The sunlight drains me, and I hate it."_ The way Pitch's eyes showed his emotions in the trees was becomin' quite comical if I had to admit, but also, I don't think anyone has ever seen this side of Pitch Black before...and apparently that's what Jack wanted to know too.

_"Have you acted like this with anyone since you became...well...since you became Pitch Black?"_

_"No, actually. You see...I've done a lot of damage. Damage that has no possible way of being undone...doing such things...had caused my name to carry quite the weight."_

_"Hmm...so if your name carries such weight...why bother with me...with us? Why did you allow me to tell your story? It's not like we know each other that well at all. I met you what...two years ago?"_

_"When the man in the moon shined his light on me, he told me that he would hold back the fearlings in my mind if I let you tell my story. He said it was time for someone to know my story, and that that someone was you. I don't know why, but when the fearlings were pushed back it felt like the right thing to do...almost as if...I had needed to let my story be heard...and you're the first person to see me in oh...about three or four hundred years. It's difficult to explain, but when the fearlings were driven back...It was so peaceful...and quiet."_

_"Huh...well...at least you have a small group of believers. What will you do to them?"_

_"TO them?"_

_"Will you frighten them? Give them nightmares? What will you do?'_

_"I...you know...for the first time in forever...I don't actually want to hurt anyone. I guess...I guess I could watch over them with you. Make sure they're scared yeah...but scared of the appropriate things to be scared of. I can help you with your shadow plays as the children called it, and I can even teach you how to throw your voice around when you play with them if you like."_

_"That would be awesome!"_

_"Jack!"_ Sarah called out. _"We found all the eggs!"_

 _"Alright, let me count them."_ Jack said as he crouched down. He went for the blonde's basket. _"Alright, Michael has six eggs..."_ He moved over to the small five year old's basket. _"Hannah has six as well..."_ Then he moved over to Sarah's basket and glanced at Pitch who merely rolled his eyes, and if the tree could've crossed its arms, I'm sure it would've. _"And Sarah has ten!"_ He looked at Sarah's basket and took out the interesting lime green egg from earlier and held it up. _"And she has the brightest!"_

_"Awe! No fair!"_

_"Hmm...no fair indeed."_ Jack chuckled as he again looked to the tree, which stuck its tongue out, causin' Jack to let out a beltin' laugh. _"Alright...so...Sarah...we will skate this winter, but for now...what would you have me do?"_

 _"Um..."_ She looked around tapping her finger dramatically against her chin. _"Oh! I know! Climb that tree! It's the straightest tree in the entire forest and it's the tallest! Then...hang from one of the limbs!"_

 _"Alright then!"_ Jack ran happily towards the tree and climbed up it with so much ease it would put monkeys to shame. Then, he did as he was asked, but instead of hangin' by his arms like she probably meant...he dangled from his knees.

 _"Jack! Get down from there!"_ Sarah laughed out.

" _No can do! A dare must be completed...let's see..."_ Jack then allowed himself to only be held up on the tree by one knee and one arm.

_"Jack! Come on!"_

_"Alright alright."_ He made himself sit up on the branch of the tree and he jumped down what must've been fifty feet, when suddenly he was caught in mid-air.

_"That was incredibly foolish, Frost."_

_"Perhaps, but it would've been a funny landing."_

_"You would've broken something, you fool."_

_"Perhaps..."_

Pitch groaned as he brought his shadow form into a normal form, plopping Jack down on his butt. _"There...funny landing now?"_

_"No..."_

_"Good! Now, imagine it from fifty feet high."_

_"Alright alright...I get it."_

_"Good. However, you were funny in the tree, that I will admit."_

_"Well, at least there's that."_

Our surroundin's changed again and we were brought to a familiar memory. Jack and Sarah were on the ice, and it was incredibly bright out as they went out onto the ice. Soon, the scene played out like it was supposed to, but I looked closer and behind the trees Pitch kept trying to get out and get to Sarah. She was scared, she was frightened, and she was on a death trap, and Pitch could feel all of those things, but because of how bright the light was both from the sky and bouncing off the snow and ice, it burned him and he couldn't move any further. Then, Jack tossed Sarah and he sagged down the tree in relief. However, his relief was quickly taken away when he witnessed Jack fall through the ice. _"Jack!"_ Sarah shouted.

Suddenly, in our time, the moon shined though the window of Jack's room, forcin' the memory to show more than it knew. "No! No no no no NO!" Pitch practically flew out to the ice, not carin' about the fact that he was burnin', and he began reaching into the water frantically, but because of how cold the winter was, he couldn't keep his arms down there for long. He clawed along the ice tryin' to search for Jack's body, to see if perhaps he had swam up but couldn't find the hole he fell into, but that wasn't the case...Jack was sinkin'. He was sinkin' slowly and his eyes had closed. _"No!"_

_"Kozmotis?"_

_"S-Sarah...I'm...I...I couldn't...I'm s-so sorry, my dear..."_

_"No..."_

Pitch grabbed her and took her to the nearest shadow and he crouched down as he held her tight against his chest. _"I couldn't...I'm so sorry. I couldn't save him...I wish...I wish I could've..."_

_"He's...he's gone! He's...Jack he...I didn't wait for him to test the ice...he..."_

_"Shh...it's not your fault, my dear. He wouldn't have wanted you to blame yourself. I'm sorry I couldn't get to you...but when Jack fell I..."_

_"He wouldn't want you to blame yourself either, Kozmotis."_ Pitch chuckled lightly. _"What's funny?"_

_"Oh...just an old spirit rule, and it seems that it applies to me quite well with the two of you. Your friends all called me Pitch, but only you and Jack had called me Koz or Kozmotis. It's said that we should only give our real names to those we trust above all else, or else there would be dire consequences. I hadn't realized it until now...months later...but I guess...I guess that's why I looked after the two of you so closely...and now..."_

_"Kozmotis...he wouldn't want you...or me...to be sad...but it's okay to be sad. Sometimes...it's what's best."_

_"Such a good girl..."_ He pushed her away slightly with tears runnin' down his face. _"...I'm gonna give you a choice, my darling Sarah."_

_"What is it?"_

_"With me around...and with you and your friends believing in me...the lot of you may have nightmares about Jack's death...or just nightmares in general since...well...he brought you all such Joy and so many memories filled with Fun...so...you may get nightmares with me around since Jack isn't...and...well...I don't want that. For once in my very long life. I don't want a group of kids to have nightmares because of me. So, if you are willing to go through the nightmares...which will likely have you relive this occurance many times over...then I can and will stay, but if you don't...then I will leave and only drop by once every two years, or until you stop believing in me."_

_"Y-You won't be sad if I ask you to go?"_

_"Of course I'll be sad, my dear. However, my heart would hurt even more if I was the cause of YOUR sadness."_

_"I...I don't want you to go...but I don't want...I don't want nightmares about this..."_

_"Then, I will leave you. Tell your mother what happened and leave my name out of it, if you would be so kind...but to your friends...you may tell them what I have told you. It has been a pleasure knowing you, Sarah Aurora Frost."_ Pitch retreated into the darkness while Jack and Sarah's mother came rushing with tears in her eyes. She crouched down to her daughter and they both began to sob.

Our surroundin's changed again, and I looked over to Jack who seemed confused, and after all, why wouldn't he be confused. His death was the last thing he remembered at the moment. Soon, we watched Manny turn his hair white and Mother Nature pour her powers into the pond. Then, Jack rose from the pond and was face to face with the moon. He told him his name but nothin' more. Everythin' in the memory happened just like before except when he went back to the pond, Pitch was looking over at it. _"H-Hello?"_

 _"What!?"_ Pitch jumped and looked at Jack. At first it was out of irritation, but then if possible Pitch's face paled and then he started lookin' back and forth at the pond and at Jack. "How are you here!?" He shouted.

_"I-I'm sorry...um...just a few moments ago...the man in the moon...he..."_

_"The...the man in the moon..."_ Suddenly, Pitch's features lit up with surprise and joy. _"Jack..."_

_"How do you know my name? I haven't told anyone and also...how can you see me? I was just walked through like five times..."_

_"No..."_ Pitch deflated, but his sorrow quickly turned into pure fury as he glared at the moon. _"How could you!?"_

Jack gave him an odd look and shifted on his staff. _"Well...I'm gonna practice flying with the wind...I have to get the hang of it at some point I suppose."_ Once Jack left, it morphed from being Jack's memory to somethin' the moon was showin' us.

Once Pitch was pretty sure Jack was gone, he glared up at the moon with pure hatred in his eyes. _"You made him an immortal child!? How could you!? He was supposed to grow up, fall in love, grow old, and spread fun and laughter for all his days! How could you!? I would've been glad if perhaps he knew...but no! You showed me a boy that could give me everything...Joy, Hope, Wonder, good memories rather than sorrowful and painful ones, and dammit...if I was able to fall asleep, I probably would've been able to dream too, but I would need Sandy for that, and that's never gonna happen! You would've been able to know what was going to happen...you could've sent your so called guardians of childhood to keep him from drowning and...you could've saved him, but no! You had to turn him into a spirit...but your cruelty didn't stop at making him an immortal child...no, you made him a spirit that isn't believed in! How could you! You allowed me to feel peace after so many Millennia, and then you just rip it away...well then fine! So be it! I will rip away something precious to you as well! I will go after your precious guardians! You will know my pain! The pain of watching someone you care about being ripped away from you...and as far as his memories...the first thing I'm gonna go after is that damn Tooth Palace! I don't know how and I don't know when. I don't care if it takes me decades or centuries! You will pay for getting my hopes up just to crush them and add insult to injury by taking the memories from the very boy that had given me peace...I had started to look at Jack and Sarah as if they were family and you took that from me! I will have my revenge, Manny! Mark my words!"_

Manny's moon beams drifted away in an almost apologetic manner, but he didn't say anything. He didn't need to. We had seen it all.


	13. There's Hope for Pitch

"M-My Father...he...you..."

"I...didn't know that any of that happened...Why was my hair white...why were my eyes blue...why did people walk through me...do they still do that?"

"No, mate. You got believers now...but I'm startin' to notice that an awful lot of things are startin' to make sense about the whole Pitch situation, but it doesn't explain why he would attack you all those times..."

"How should I know...I don't remember being Jack Frost...well...the Jack Frost you know, and I..." Without warning it was if there was small tornado in Jack's room as he screamed in pain once more. He fell to the floor again, but this time I caught him. He was clutching at his sides and ice started to form once again. As each new spire of ice appeared I tried my best to melt it...but they kept comin'. Soon, the screaming stopped, and it was almost as if the very air in the room was carressing Jack.

"Wind is trying to comfort him."

"I can tell..." I picked him up and placed him in his bed, but as soon as I did so, he shot up like a rocket. For a good five minutes he sat there quietly with his eyes closed and his head in his hands. "Uh...Jack?"

"Yeah...Aster...I'm here..."

"Oh thank Moon!" I shouted. "I was worried that was it. I was worried that your human self won..."

"That...explains so much..."

"You...you remember watchin' the memory?"

"Yeah...I do...and it explains why he didn't pay me any attention in the beginning of the battle. He saw that I had been recruited with you and he asked when we all got so friendly...he asked because he hadn't seen me since. Then...when Sandy and I went after his nightmare horse...he wasn't menacing at all. I mean yeah he insulted you all, but he wasn't menacing...he actually spoke rather gently when he told me..." Jack seemed to trail off to let out a heavy sigh. "...he told me that it wasn't my fight...his exact words were, 'This isn't your fight, Jack.' Then, I told him he made it my fight when he stole the teeth. He was a bit confused at that asked me why I should care about the teeth..."

"That's how he was able to find your tooth box and taunt you with it, but it doesn't explain why he would try and hurt you after he killed Sandy. I mean...he sent those nightmares after ya."

"I think...and this may sound ridiculous...but I think he was trying to get rid of me so he wouldn't have to grieve or mourn anymore...I mean...even at Antarctica...Antarctica...he said that we didn't have to be alone...he was trying to get me to join him...wow...this all makes so much sense...but...I'm still battling with my soul..."

"Jack, considering the fact that you remember seeing the memory...perhaps it's not a fight for your soul like we had initially thought...perhaps it's your soul trying to meld itself together fully. All the parts it lost, it's trying to find again so that it can be one. The dangerous thing about that though...is that Pitch's power can meld with it too...and then you would be lost to us. There's only...there's only one person who would be able to take it away from you."

"Mother Nature, you can't be suggestin' what I think you're suggestin'."

"I am. We need to speak with North and the others."

"You know they won't listen at first."

"I am well aware, Aster. Now, you take Jack through the tunnels and you will meet me in North's."

"Fine."

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

We arrived in about thirty minutes and he had already signaled the others who, thankfully were already there by the time Jack and I got out of the tunnel. "Bunny, what is going on! Mother Nature says is emergency involving Pitch!"

"Ah, well...it does involve Pitch. You see...apparently Jack met Pitch when he was human."

"Oh my sweet tooth!" Tooth shouted. "Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine. I was fine then too. He didn't hurt me."

"He what? What you mean he not hurt you?" North asked with his eyebrows of doom risin' to the top of his head.

"We...we only knew each other for a little less than a year, but we were friends. In a way we started treating each other like family."

"Impossible!" North shouted in shock.

"Are ya gonna listen to us or not? We found this out from watchin' Jackson Overland Frost's memories!"

"He...you...you're able to say it." Tooth stared at me in shock.

"Right ya are. I am also able to call him by his name before he was Jackson. So, please...hear us out. Everythin' we're tellin' ya is completely true, and in all honesty...it explains Pitch's behavior towards us as guardians...and Jack."

"Alright, what is it?"

"Actually, perhaps it would do better to show them. Jack, my sweet snowflake, do I have your permission to show everyone else your memories of Pitch?"

"Can't really say no to the man's daughter, now can I." He smirked and she smiled fondly. Meanwhile, the others stared with completely wide eyes, dripped jaws, and pale faces...well...if Sandy's face could pale it would've. They knew Mother Nature was his daughter but no one else was to know after the battle in the stars.

"Still, I ask your permission."

"Yes, it would make it go by a lot easier, and it may clear up some things."

Once the memories were over, and Manny was kind enough to force the memory to continue again, we stood there waiting for the other three guardians to say somethin', anythin' really. "Guys...say something, please." Jack pleaded while I let out a light sigh.

"Jack...Pitch he...he gave you his name. His real name. He...said he wouldn't scare anymore...unless appropriate...you got him to...you..." Tooth couldn't form a coherent sentence, but the shock and pain on her face was there for all to see.

"You...true to your very old and first name...you chased darkness and fear away from Pitch's heart."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, and at first I hadn't realized it, but North was right.

"Jack, you..." Now I was the one who started their sentence in disbelief. It was strange, good, impossible, and amazing all at once. "...you never fully stopped bein' Nightlight. When Pitch met you...his true self started to come out. The one before the nightmares overran him, and you had known him longer than what we saw, but we saw where his walls began to crumble...fast. It wasn't just Manny who was keepin' the fearlin's out of his mind and away from his heart...you were...by offerin' him friendship and family."

Suddenly, Sandy flew forward and with his sand he asked,  _'Did either you or Sarah like butterflies?'_

"Yeah, Sarah loved them. Every spring she would run through the forest to make the butterflies leave their hiding places. She always looked so beautiful and carefree when she was surrounded by them...why?"

Sandy used his sand again and all of our eyes went wide.  _'At the end of the battle when I slammed him against the ground...he was dreaming of butterflies. I dare say...there might still be hope for Pitch if Jack DOES speak with him.'_

"What kind of hope...hope for what?" Jack questioned with concerned fascination.

"Hope that he might be like when you were friends with him...before you died. I never thought I would ever say this. Not in this lifetime...but we help Pitch. This way, we can say we at least tried, and we can make attempt at Jack getting healed from his power. What say you, Toothy? It was your palace after all." North said as he looked to Tooth.

"Well...I've got mostly everything back in order and he only did that because he was heartbroken. I'm not saying I forgive him, but I'm saying I can at the very least sympathize. He lost an entire family because of Fearlings and Nightmares and then he was forced to be their king...we had a huge battle...he was along for a very long time...and then he is given a family once more...but that too was ripped away from him, but just when he has a semblance of hope that maybe Manny brought him back so he wouldn't be alone...Jack didn't even remember him. I can sympathize why that would cause him such pain and rage."

"Good point, Toothy. So, we are all in agreement, yeah?" North questioned and we all nodded our heads. "Alright then...so...where exactly is Pitch's hole? We watched the nightmares carry him away, but..."

"I know where it is. I can go there...but I think I will need to go alone."

"You're at least takin' me, mate."

"Fine...Bunny and I will go down the hole...that way I have an instant get away plan."

"I like plan!" North boomed.

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

Once we made it to where the bed used to be, I glared at the ground. "Mate, I think we're gonna have to actually dig our way."

"No...I think I can do it...I remember the path down...here, take my staff, Aster." I did as he said, and as soon as I took the staff I realized what he was goin' to do.

"Jack, you think that's the best thing to do, mate? I mean..."

"It's not like you have tunnels into his lair, and we don't have time for shovels."

"Wait...what is Jack going to do? He can't use his powers without staff, right?" North questioned as he crossed his arms.

"No, he can most certainly use it without his staff. The staff is merely a conduit. I thought we explained this..."

"My mind was still filled with fact that Jack was allowed to say your name, and...who he was originally."

"Right...well..." I turned to Jack and gave him a nod. He returned the nod and got on his knees at the hole. He drew a circle around where the hole used to be, and then he slammed his hands onto the ground just outside the circle Then, he started closin' his eyes to focus his powers into the ground. After about five seconds and without warnin', ice erupted from the circle he drew and seemed to push down further and further into the ground. It pushed away the dirt until we all heard the dirt hit something many feet below us. That's when we figured he had done it, he had dug the hole. "That's amazing! Just one problem mate..."

"No, Aster...there isn't a problem. Can you hand me my staff?"

"Um...sure..."

I gave him his staff and he gave a mischievous smile. He turned around and walked toward the ice in the ground and tapped it twice with his staff in a similar manner that I tap my foot to open the tunnels. Then, to all of our surprise...the ice began to crack until it eventually shattered, causing all of the ice to fall below into the cavern. "See, no problem." I rolled my eyes at him and watched as he flew down the tunnel, and I followed.

Once we made it down into the cavern, I felt my fur stand on its end as I noticed all of the cages and the twisted and disturbed paths. Suddenly, my ears caught the sound of things breakin' and crashin'. "That's gotta be Pitch..." I whispered as quietly as I could.

"Dammit!" We heard him shout. "Why couldn't he just...why didn't he join me! I..."

"Aster...wait here, please. I'll let you know if I need help, but I don't want him to see you. Stay close behind but don't make yourself heard if you feel you must follow me." And boy did I feel I had to follow him. I did as he asked, and I was able to follow him, and even get close enough to see him confront Pitch without me gettin' noticed. "P-Pitch?" He stuttered out.

"YOU!" He shouted with pure rage. "HOW. THE. HELL. DID. YOU. GET. IN. HERE!?" With every word he sent a flurry of what little sand he had left. The nightmares had apparently left him alone after he got trapped, but they weren't around, so it seemed to me that they were no more while he could still use the sand itself. "YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING HERE!"

"You're wrong, actually." Jack said as calmly as he could once he got his bearin's. "I do have business with you."

"I highly doubt that, Jack! What business could you have with me? YOU BLOODY HELL WON! Don't you have little brats to protect now."

"That I do."

Another flurry of nightmare sand was thrown his way, but Jack dodged everyone of them, never once attackin' him. "THEN LEAVE ME! WHY DO YOU TAUNT ME! IS THIS SOME SICK JOKE TO YOU! GO PLAY WITH SOMEONE ELSE!"

Jack leaned against his staff again and let out a simple, "No." Followed by, "Not until you listen."

"DAMMIT JACK! I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY TO ME!"

"I know what you're feeling, Pitch."

That seemed to make Pitch snap, because this time he brought out his scythe and started swingin'. I wanted to move and protect Jack, but I knew if I did, I would've ruined everythin'. "HOW DARE YOU ASSUME YOU KNOW WHAT I'M FEELING! YOU STUPID CHILDISH..."

As another swing was makin' it's way for him Jack smiled at him and said, "You're lonely, Pitch. I can tell."

"AND WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT MY LONELINESS!?" I found it a bit amusin' that he hadn't figured it out yet, but I stayed as quiet as I could.

"I know what it looks like in children, and that's what I see in you. Plus a few other things...but loneliness is quite strong...I can tell." Pitch didn't lower his scythe in mid swing, nor did the sand dissipate, no...he dropped the scythe from his hands and then the sand dissipated as it crashed to the ground. His eyes were wide and filled with an explosion of hope that I could tell his heart wasn't gonna let him feel.

"H-How...no...This is just another one of Manny's tricks! This is a lie! This is...this is just another nightmare! I'm sleeping, I must be! I mean I was dragged down here, perhaps I'm...either way..." He glared at Jack with hateful daggers. "YOU ARE NOT REAL!"

Jack walked forward cautiously yet gracefully and with as much confidence as he could until he was standin' right in front of Pitch. "No, I'm quite real. See?" Jack gently placed a hand on Pitch's arm and Pitch's eyes widened even further. The daggers left his eyes and his arms fell to his sides.

"You...you're..." Pitch reached his hand out to Jack breathlessly, but he quickly pulled it away. "No! You...you can't be! This is just another Nightmare...giving me false hopes and tricking me...again! The Jack I knew DIED! You're just like the other nightmares I have of him! You're just here to taunt me even further of what I've lost, but I won't HAVE IT!" As soon as he shouted, Jack started to scream in pain again, but it wasn't because of Pitch. "J-Jack?" He stuttered out and crouched down to Jack who was once again growin' ice spikes. My heart was poundin' and all I could think was,  _'Oh dear Moon not now!'_ However, I thankfully didn't have to worry, because Jack came back from it. He gave me a soft side glance with a pained smile while he was still hunched over lettin' me know that he was okay. He stood back up and faced Pitch once more. "What just happened? That has never happened before in my nightmares." Pitch stated with fresh new daggers.

"When...after you killed Sandy and you sent your nightmares after me...some of it got into my system...and now...my soul is fighting for control."

"That means...You're turning." It was strange, but you could almost see the heartbreak in his eyes.

"I'm very real, Kozmotis."

"M-My name...he said...you said..."

"Kozmotis." Jack smiled happily.

"That's right!" Pitch shouted in surprise. "But...but but that's me...Kozmotis. That's my name...you said my name! That's never happened in any dream or nightmare...it's not allowed to...as a way to protect other spirits...you are..."

"...very real, Koz."

"You know me...you...you know me!" Pitch smiled a genuine smile that was filled with so much hope and Joy it was hard for me not to smile myself, but it quickly faltered as he looked at the ice spikes on Jack. "S-So...you really know me...You...you remember me?"

"Yeah I do...and I really do have a problem...as you can tell. However, it's not just my soul it's battling with...Now, before I tell you...you have to promise me something."

"Anything!" He shouted with pure worry in his eyes and concern in his voice.

"Remember when you told me that you would still scare...but appropriately?"

"Yes..."

"I need that to be your promise. The world needs you, Koz...no one can deny that, but you can't hurt everyone. Sarah wouldn't want to see you this way, and I know you have it in you to be good...because you were once."

"I...Jack...there's no way the guardians are going to let me out."

"Actually...under the circumstances, which are pretty strange let me tell you...anyway, they know I'm here, and they won't attack you. I promise."

"Y-You're certain?"

"What...are you scared, Pitch?"

"Actually...I'm terrified. With you and your sister, I had gained a family when I thought it impossible after I had lost my daughter, but it wasn't just that. I was allowed peace and Joy...I don't want to lose it all again...I don't want to lose  _you_  again. You...at first you were like an annoying nephew and your sister the darling niece...but then...as the short months drew on...you were like a son to me...it hurt...more than you can imagine when I lost you...saw you as a spirit...and then lost you all over again. It was like Manny had slapped me in the face...hard. Revenge for going after his family I suppose..."

"I know all of that. I also know that that was the real reason that you waged the battle against the guardians."

"But how do you...how could you know?"

"Manny showed us."

"US!? Who is us?"

"Well...myself, obviously...Bunny, and..."

"And?"

"And...wow...she is so going to punish me for this..."

Pitch laughed an honest, good, and hearty laugh and it was honestly difficult to see, because this wasn't a memory, nor was it something from the far distant past before he became Pitch Black. This was now, and it held all the fondness a laugh  _would_  hold with a family member. "...Oh, I would love to know who has such power over you, Frost. You blew me out of the sky, but you're afraid of a woman punishing you? Tell me, who is this wonderful spirit so I may congratulate her on something that seemed so ridiculously improbable!"

"Oh...I believe you know her. She's been like a mother to me, in fact, I call her Mother...and she helped me grow into my powers, and she spent time with me when I was basically alone for three hundred years."

"Alright, I'm highly intrigued now. Who is she?"

"Well...I don't know what you called her, but on Earth she is known as Mother Nature."

"M-My d-daughter!?" He stuttered out as tears began to stain his grey skin.

"Yes, and when a summer spirit got into a fight with me, she heard what had happened...and took her powers away for one whole of her season."

"She...she took a spirits powers away?" A small bit of pride was crossin' his features, and I noticed quickly how there wasn't even the slightest implication that would try and use her. He was just shocked and proud.

"Yeah, and she practically smothers me. She smothers me with food, gifts, I have my own room, but she also does scold me...and she doesn't mince words either."

Pitch's eyes grew soft and he shook his head. "Just like her mother then...wait...she truly treats you like a son?"

"Yeah, why is that strange?"

"Well...because...everyone knew how she was towards all spirits. She wouldn't give them much attention, and a lot of people considered her uncaring, but that's not true...it's my fault. I was supposed to be there for her, but I hurt her...she tried...but I wouldn't listen. It broke both our hearts. Anyway, she was determined not to get close to anyone, which is why her domain is so mysterious, and only a few are allowed to enter. Either way...for her to treat you like a son...Do you remember the story we told the children together?"

"Yes, the story of how the boogeyman came to be."

"Right...well...My wife, along with my daughter, and I...we were pretty much royalty in the universe. Like a king and queen...My wife was even called Lady Pitchiner...so...considering how she treated other spirits, and her herritage...you're basically royalty...and if she adopted you as a son...that would make me your..."

"Adoptive grandfather?"

"Well...this just became rather strange, didn't it? I just said that you became like a son to me...but apparently."

"It's fine though. I don't mind, do you?"

"No, can't say that I do, honestly. Jack...you can't imagine how overjoyed I am at all this."

"Actually I can..."

"How?"

"I'm the guardian of Joy and Fun."

Another true and honest laugh came out of Pitch as he placed his hands on Jack's shoulders. "Of course you are! It's extremely fitting. Now...I give you my word...and I entrust you with my name...that I will give appropriate nightmares, create appropriate...or fun...darkness, and that I will only cause appropriate fears...So, what else is wrong with you?"

"Y-You're truly serious?"

"I'm swearing on my name. So, yes...I'm serious."

"Alright well...wow...you're actually serious...um...well...your nightmare sand...erm...power...whatever...it's in my system and it's not just that fighting with my soul...apparently...I have three souls."

"You what?" Pitch's eyes went wide, and I nearly laughed at how quickly his expression changed.

"You know two of them...it um...it happened when...when you snapped my staff in two, after the others...well you know the rest..."

"Oh Jack...I am so sorry..."

"It's alright...I know you mean it...but because of that...My soul as Jack Frost the spirit, Jackson Overland Frost the human, and..."

"Yes...the third soul...who is it?"

"Y-You may hate me..."

"Jack, I could never hate you...I won't be mad...I swear on my name. This is a grave situation, and I need to know everything before I can help with anything." My heart stopped for just a moment, because not once, but twice he had sworn on his name for Jack. Every spirit knows that if you swear on your name and you don't keep your word...the consequences are severe.

"Alright...well...the third soul is Nightlight. I...I used to be Manny's protector."

"Y-You used to...you were...you..." Pitch's face quickly looked as terrified as it did just before the nightmare horses dragged him back down his hole, and I can't really blame him. Nightlight fought against Pitch so fiercely that he was willin' to give up everythin'. "I..."

"Pitch...it's okay. That was a long time ago...and even if I do get my memories back about being Nightlight...I will always remember how I know you now and how I knew you when I was alive."

"I...I wouldn't be so sure about that...I've..."

"I know you killed off all of the Pookas except for Bunny."

"You...you know that?"

"Bunny told me. He told me of the life he lived on his home world."

"Well, at least now I know this certainly isn't a nightmare."

"Oh, then what is it?"

"A dream come true, but if you ever tell Sandy I said that, I will tell everyone just how smitten you were over that pretty red head with the freckled face...what was her name..."

"Don't you dare!"

"Well, I guess you won't be telling Sandman anything about my words anytime soon. So, how long are you gonna hide behind there, Bunny."

"What the hell!?" I shouted as I came out of my hiding place.

"You chuckled a couple of times after I finally realized that Jack was really who he said he was and after I found out he truly remembered me."

"Well then...will you help Jacky?"

"Oh...a nickname, careful Bunny...nicknames are for friends."

"He is a friend ya dill."

"Very well then. Yes, I will help him. Hmm...think of it as me being his personal guardian."

"That's a bit of stretch, Pitch."

"You're right, Bunny. He's my guardian and has been since he was human." Pitch looked at Jack with all the fondness a father would look at their son, and honestly, it was quite startlin' but at least he was gonna help Jack.

"We should get to the surface then."

"Is it daylight out?"

"No, Jack suggested that we come here at night." I told him honestly.

"Ah, I take it you remember how much I despise the sun."

"And how amusing you look as a pair of pissed off eyes stuck in a tree." Jack gave a slight chuckle at the end, and I watched as Pitched rolled his eyes.

"Let's go then."


	14. Healing Jack

Once we got out of the hole, Pitch made an audible halt. "Emi...erm...Mother Nature...I had no idea you would be here..." I turned around and noticed how small Pitch looked just then, it was almost as if he didn't believe he had the right to call his own daughter by her name. The rules were different when a spirit speaks to someone who was already a blood relative, so in all actuality, he should've been able to say her name...but he wouldn't.

"Yes I am here. Will you help Jack?"

"Yes, I have decided to help him."

"How do we know we can trust you, hm?" North questioned with a risen brow, although the shock in his eyes at the fact that the three of us came out of the hole at all was definitely there.

"I swore to Jack on my name...my true name...that I would not harm anyone. I swore that I would do what my power can, but in an appropriate and acceptable manner. I have also sworn on my name that I will not be mad at him for being Nightlight." Everyone includin' Mother Nature herself, gasped in shock.

"It' s true...he also entrusted me with his name."

"He what?" Mother Nature questioned with wide eyes.

"I entrusted my name to him. I told him my name before when he was human...so it was a bit different him knowing it and using it then, but now...I entrusted my name to him."

"Has something like this happened before?" Tooth asked.

"What are you talking about?" Pitch asked with a confused expression

"Well...that makes two names Jack is entrusted with." Tooth told him honestly with the shocked expression still clear on her face.

"What? Who else's name was he entrusted with?"

"Mine, mate. I entrusted my name to him."

"Well...can't say I'm surprised...but the fact that he has two entrusted names now...now that's something."

"So, you know he's Nightlight and you will do nothing to him?" North questioned cautiously, and honestly I couldn't blame any of them for their questions and skepticism. They hadn't seen what I had seen, the way that Pitch was determined that it was nothin' but a nightmare to taunt him. Then, when he heard Jack say his name...the hope and joy he had. They didn't see any of that.

"No, if anything, I was concerned about him doing something to me. I had entrusted my name twice to him before he actually told me he used to be Nightlight. He had more than enough power to cause me serious harm, but he hasn't."

"And I won't as long as you keep your word, Koz."

"Like I said...I swear to keep my word. Now, I think we should..." Before Pitch could continue, Jack was thrown into another fit, but this one was more violent than the last ones. He screamed so hard and so loud he lost his voice mid scream. Pitch grabbed him before he could fall to the ground again, and the ice spires that came out of his body had blood on them, and it all belonged to Jack. His skin was startin' to darken, and when I tried to melt away the ice spires they just wouldn't melt. They wouldn't even get a bit watery. "...we...we need to get him somewhere quick! Bunny, I know I'm asking a lot, and I know I don't have any right to ask, but I need you to open up a tunnel to Antarctica. North, I will need you to get any and all healing supplies you can manage, and Emi...I mean...Mother Nature, I need you to come with us...if you don't mind."

"I'll always be there for Jack."

"So he tells me." Pitch gave Jack a small proud look while he wrestled in his arms. "We need to go. Antarctica is the only place that's safe...for everyone."

"How would it be safe for everyone?" North questioned with a risen brow.

"At the rate he's going...he is unpredictable and if what he says is correct about his souls fighting each other, then he could easily level this whole town in ice. Not snow, not a flurry, ICE. He is fighting becoming a...well...anyway, while he's fighting that, his souls are battling each other as well as the darkness. Now, you don't just have one spirit and one human soul...you have Nightlight's soul in there as well. Whatever happens, it's not going to be pretty, and we should all be wary when we get to Antarctica."

"You make fair point. We will meet you there." North stated as he quickly took out a snow globe and tossed it against a tree. "Tooth, Sandy, let's go. Jack needs all the help he can get."

"I guess that means we're leaving too." I stated as I opened up a tunnel.

"Wait, Bunny, why do you have a tunnel to Antarctica?" Mother Nature asked me, and although it was a fair question, I couldn't hide the amusement on my face.

"It's where I get ice for my drinks durin' the summer. I can't exactly go to the store."

"Hmm I suppose you're right. Let's go."

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

Once we left, Jack seemed to get worse and continued to struggle, but Pitch never lessened his hold on him. "We're almost there!"

Once we did get there, we all jumped out of the tunnel and I was surprised to see that my tunnel led out to the ice sculpture that Jack and Pitch had made. I looked at Pitch, and he visibly tensed upon noticin' it. "Right...of course the tunnel would lead here..." I heard him mutter sadly, but almost as if he realized what he had said, he quickly turned around and crouched down with Jack still strugglin' in his arms. "When will the others get here?"

"They should be here..." I heard the familiar whirrin' of an activated snow globe and I smiled in relief. "...any moment."

"We've brought everything we could." North said as two yetis followed him.

"I brought his teeth...I know that a lot of them aren't his real memories but...I thought perhaps it could help."

Sandy made symbols appear over his head with a sorrowful look on his face.  _'I will help in anyway I can with my dream sand. However, I don't know how much help I can be against something like this. It's one thing for either a human or a human to be affected by Pitch's power...it's another thing entirely for it to affect three different souls in one body. This is not going to be easy, and we may want to be prepared for the worst.'_

My heart stopped, started, and stopped again at what Sandy was implyin'. "No...you can't possibly think..."

More symbols and more heartbreak floated over Sandy's head.  _'He's reaching the end stages, Bunny...let's hope we can save him.'_

"Bunny..." Pitch called, and I turned back around to see the pure guilt and terror behind his eyes. "We're gonna save him. We have to. I can't lose him again. I won't lose him again."

"Right...what do we need to do first?" I asked over Jack's new volume of screamin'

"Well...since these aren't normal wounds, we can't treat them normally."

"So what...we just stand here while he turns the snow red?" I snapped at him, and for the life of me, I couldn't fathom why he didn't snap back, but he just slowly nodded his head at me.

"If we're lucky, some of...some of my nightmare sand will fall with the blood...but I will also need to pull it out of him...which means he'll bleed more..."

"So...he could die from blood loss?" I asked.

"It's a possibility, and since he's in the end stages...he could turn while we're trying to help him...or if we do succeed he may not be Jack anymore. He may not even be Nightlight anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"We will be affecting his very soul with our attempt to save him...if we succeed and he is still the Jack we know then that's great...but..."

"There's a possibility he could lose his soul...isn't there?" I cautiously asked, feelin' my heart beat stagger once again.

"Yes...He would be alive then, but he wouldn't have a soul...he would be a husk with powers."

"Then, we better give it all we got." I told him, and he gave a quick smile before lookin' back at Jack who started to calm from his screamin', but his skin was growin' paler by the second.

"North, we will need to clean the wounds around the ice spires, but we can't try to stop the blood from flowing. Can you dress the wounds?"

"Yes, of course. Come on, Phil." The yeti holdin' the most supplies grunted and followed North towards us.

"What would you have me do?" Mother Nature asked Pitch, and he was instantly made breathless in shock as he looked up at her.

"I um...W-What would you like to do, Mother Nature?"

"Well, I could help pull out the darkness from him, I could soothe him, I could try and pull the darkness from the ice spires..."

"That...that will do nicely. Please, get the sand out of the ice spires, but don't try and melt them."

"Wait, why not?" I asked quickly.

"The ice spires is sort of a way that Jack's powers are trying to get rid of the darkness. It's litterally pushing it out, but it can only do so much...if it's melted...then the sand can go back in."

"That's what Bunny has been doing..."

The look of horror must've been like a neon sign, because everyone's expressions turned sympathetic. "Don't worry, you didn't know, and it's alright. We're all helping him now, and that's what matters." If I wasn't in so much shock, I would've laughed, because bein' consoled by Pitch Black of all people was laughable.

"Alright...and what will I be doing?" I asked him.

"You will be helping Sandy to purify the nightmare sand. It can't just be taken out, it has to be eradicated."

"Alright...what about North and Tooth?" I questioned with concerned looks towards them.

"Tooth will keep his memories safe just in case, and North...I'm sorry...but if Jack becomes uncontrollable I'm gonna need you to..."

"I refuse to kill him, Pitch." He growled out, and it made my fur stand and feel wrong with the fury in his voice.

"NO! I wouldn't ask that...but perhaps...keep him contained. I know you have the magic to do it. You've used it against me before."

"That caused you great pain..."

"He's in great pain now!" Pitch bit back.

"Fine...only if necessary." He relented reluctantly.

"Good...now let's get started." He stated with a touch of bitterness in his voice as he looked back down at Jack.

Sandy came forward and gently sprinkled sand onto Jack's face, causin' dolphins to appear above his head. "Why dolphins, why not snowflakes?"

"A dolphin is his favorite animal. He can't get close to them because he could hurt them, so he dreams of them instead." Mother Nature said with a fond smile as she pressed her hand to the ice.

"Oh..." I said dumbly as I watched both her and Pitch pull out their own creepin' strands of nightmare sand out of Jack. "So, you can pull it out!"

"Yes, now as we pull it out, you and Sandy have to purify it. You with your nature and light magic, and Sandy with his dreams. Sandy can turn it into dream sand, but so that he doesn't get affected either if it should change back, you will need to banish it."

"You're lookin' out for Sandy too?"

"He is Jack's friend. If he is affected because he's wounded and turning...if he survives it, he will never forgive himself."

"I can understand that." I told him honestly as sandy and I reached up to purify the nightmare sand. There was a shinin' light as Sandy changed it to dream sand, but it was a darker shade of yellow than it usually was. Then, I used my own magic against it, and the light grew brighter for about five seconds. After that, there was no trace that there was ever anythin' in the air.

"That's great!" Pitch exclaimed, and I couldn't help the twitch of my smile. "Jack may have a chance!"

"Let's hope so..." I started as more sand was pulled out.

As Sandy and I purified ten more strands of nightmare sand, Mother Nature started carefully pullin' out all of the sand, from every spire, all at once, until it was one massive ball above us. "Bunny...Sandy...purify this." We did as she said, and if i didn't know any better I would say that pullin' every grain from all of the ice spires had worn her out.

Once Sandy and I finished purifying the large ball of sand I looked at the ice that she had cleared. It was almost like lookin' through the clearest window. It wasn't even blue. It was completely transparent with no color. "That's amazin'." I stated as I started to help Sandy purify some more Nightmare sand that Pitch was pullin' out.

"Thank you, Bunny. So..." She looked to Pitch who flinched slightly. "...can I melt to ice spires now?"

"Yes, it should be fine." He answered without lookin' at her, and I was quickly noticin' a pattern. If she talks to him, he seems almost wounded, but I don't know why. So, once Jack is healed, the first thing I'm gonna do while he rests is figure out what was goin' on with the two of them.

I watched as Mother Nature gently tapped the largest ice spire, and then held her hands out similar to someone cuppin' water into her hands. Then, my eyes went wide as I watched the water do somethin' similar to the ball of nightmare sand. Soon, the large ice spire was gone, and she was holdin' up a large sphere of water. She walked over to the edge of the cliff and released it. "How do ya do that?" I asked in fascination as I watched her repeat the action.

"Water is a part of Nature too. So, I just made a connection with it, and morphed into something I could use."

"Huh..."

"Yup."

After about fifteen minutes of non stop purifyin', I felt my strength weaken and my powers waver. "Hey...Pitch, are we almost done? I'm uh...I'm startin' to feel a bit drained."

"There should only be about twelve more strands. Mother Nature, are you working on the last ice spire?"

"No, but I will after this one."

"Alright, so just a little bit longer, Bunny."

"Good, because..." Before I could finish I saw Jack's Sand dolphins begin to disappear, but he wasn't wakin' up. "Jack?" I didn't get an answer. "Jack! Wake up, Jack!"

"Bunny, he's still alive, but only just...we have to hurry." Pitch said as he began to frantically pull out his nightmare sand from Jack's body, and Mother Nature practically evaporated the ice spire.

In about five minutes Pitch was finished pullin' all of the nightmare sand out of Jack, and we had purified it all accordin' to Pitch. "We need to heal his wounds. Mother Nature, can ya help me?"

"Of course, but it would probably be easier for us if we take him to his room in my domain."

"Ah, well...I will wait for someone to send for me then." Pitch stated as he began to stand on shaky legs. Likely due to the amount of strain he suffered from pullin' Nightmares out, and NOT usin' them.

"No, you will be coming too. You swore on your name to Jack and you entrusted your name to him. Because you have done such things, you are in a way...required to stay by his side."

"I...yeah, but it's your domain."

"That it is, and I say you're going, so you're going."

"Alright, I'll go." Pitch agreed as he seemed to stand straighter.

"Now, North can you hand me one of your snow globes?"

"Of course." He did as she asked and handed it to her. "Here you go."

"Thank you." She smiled up at him and whispered silently into the globe before tossin' it towards a wall of ice. "You held him well enough when we were going through the tunnels. Do you think you can do so again?" She questioned as she looked at Pitch.

"Yes, I should be able to, but answer me this...if you don't mind...for so many centuries you've tried to keep people out of your domain...me excluded because I know I wouldn't have been invited...but why?"

"Because of Jack, and only ever because of Jack." She stated almost bitterly. After her words, we all walked through the portal and straight into Jack's room.


	15. More Than One Reason to Celebrate

Once we were all in Jack's room, Pitch didn't wait, he immediately went to set Jack down on his bed. "Mother Nature and Bunny...can you close his wounds at the very least?"

"Of course." Mother Nature stated. "However, I can do this part by myself."

"Do what ya need to." I told her and she gave me a gentle smile while walkin' over to him.

"Oh, my sweet snowflake..." She muttered under her breath, and her voice was such a contrast from what it had been earlier in Antarctica. I suppose, she wasn't gonna allow herself to feel too much while we tried to heal him, so I left it alone. "...you must wake up. You have friends who care for you so deeply." She placed her hands over every wound, and thanks to her power as well as the bed's, they closed up so well that you couldn't tell he had injuries in the first place.

"Thank you..." Pitch sighed out in relief.

"You're welcome." She gave a slight smile that Pitch couldn't see because of where he was standin', and if I'm to be honest, that small smile alone only made me more curious as to what was goin' on.

"Do ya know when he might wake?" I asked.

"Honestly, it's up to him at this point." She answered with a heavy sigh. "His pulse is incredibly slow, his breathing is almost non existent, and now he still has to battle three souls...and we have no way of knowing which one will win in the end...but I suspect when he does wake...that will be the end of the battle. So who he is when he wakes up...is who he is forever."

"You...you can't be serious." North said with a shaky tone.

"It would've had to happen at some point...and we've reached that point...now...we must let him rest. Let's go out to the garden, and don't worry, I will know immediately when he is close to waking."

"You sure you want us in the garden?" Tooth asked, clutchin' to the memory box tighter than ever.

"Of course. It's where all the best thinking is done. All the best thinking...and worrying."

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

We all followed Mother Nature out to the garden...the big one...and it was incredible. Every flower you could think of lived there. Along with a few that were only native to other planets. There were trees that surrounded us, and gave us shade along with a beautiful sunset restin' onto the garden. I wanted to take it all in, but I quickly heard Mother Nature talkin' to Pitch, so I decided to let my ears and attention hone in on their conversation while lookin' at the flowers. "Well...I was wondering if I could talk to you. You don't have to speak with me, but..." I heard Pitch trail off, and I couldn't understand why he seemed so nervous. I mean yeah...he used to be our enemy, but that's his daughter he's talkin to.

"I don't mind speaking with you since you've entrusted your name to Jack. I have also seen how much Jack had changed you when he was human. It is on his faith in you that I don't mind speaking to you, and I'm guessing Jack is exactly who you wanted to talk about."

"It...it is."

"Well, go on. I won't know what to answer if there's no questions."

"Right, well I wanted to know...how is he so powerful?"

"Ah, a common question now a days." She smiled lightly. "Well, I imagine it has a small bit to do with his original form being Nightlight...but that would only be a bit. The rest of it would be because he wasn't created by just Manny. Manny and I both created him."

"So...in actuality...he isn't  _like_  a son to you...he  _is_  your son."

"Well actually no he is like..."

"Mother Nature...you do know that's what Manny basically does, don't you?" Pitch interrupted with a quizzical expression. "If he himself creates a spirit that wasn't already born with their abilities like Bunny or Tooth...then he becomes their Father. He had admitted it once when I threatened to hurt one of his spirits...he actually shouted in my mind, 'You will regret it if you harm my children.' To be honest, I was quite shocked when I heard it, but when I asked him if that was truly the case when he made spirits that weren't born with their powers...he admitted it. I thought all spirits knew at this point considering that little spat between me and him was almost a thousand years ago."

Her eyes went wide with shock at his words, and frankly mine did to. It was one thing for her to be like a mother to Jack, but another to actually be his spirit mother. I had been jokin' earlier when I had said that he was the love child of Manny and Mother Nature, but if Pitch's words were true, and at the moment I don't have a reason to believe they're anythin' but when he's talkin' with her...I was thrown for a loop. "I..."

"You...didn't know that fact...did you?"

"Well, I thought that  _in a sense_  he was my spirit child, because I helped bring him back to life and helped give him power...so I thought I was  _like_  a mother to him...are you lying to me?"

"I wouldn't lie about this. Especially when Jack Frost might be grandson. You don't believe me...look." Pitch pointed up at the moon, and I looked for the others, but they were talking among themselves, and in one of the green houses off to the far part of the garden. "Ask him."

"Manny...is he telling the truth?"

 _"Yes, he is."_  A voice echoed into my head. I looked up to the other guardians, and it seems as if I was the only guardian that was supposed to know, because they carried on.  _"I'm sorry if you are upset with me."_

"I...I just...I feel a bit used to be honest..."

_"It was not my intention...I apologize greatly."_

"I...I forgive you. How could I not!? I have a son and he...Manny, I can understand why you did the things you did, and I'm not angry with you. Although, I would've appreciated knowing that he really is...that  _Jack_  really is my son. May I ask you something?"

_"Of course."_

"How is he different than my other spirit children then? Because I gave my spirit children their powers."

_"Well, if you'll remember correctly...when you turned them into seasonal spirits they were still very much alive. Where as Jack...you gave him life like a human mother gives her children life...just without the physical aspect of it all. I merely helped, and the end result, was you being a real and true mother."_

"But what about Nightlight? Your Mother and Father created him...and he's still Jack."

_"Well...yes, but they weren't parents to him. His sole purpose was to protect me. It was as if they had built me body guard in their eyes, rather than had created and given him life...so it's not the same. He was a great friend to me, and although I saw him differently than my parents, they still always saw him as my protector and that's all, and when he sacrificed himself...about ninety-five percent of him died...so in a way...he really did die, but since his body was still somewhat in tact and breathing...his soul had something to latch onto...what was left of it anyway. What I'm trying to say is...you're his real mother. He had an adoptive mother when he was human, and she was wonderful and amazing, but you gave him life after he fell in...and whether you know it or not...the amount of power it took you..."_

"I was down for a good while..."

_"Yes...but that's because with bringing him back to life...you slipped some of your DNA into him on accident...making him related to you. So...yes...he really is your son at this point."_

"He...He really is my son...which makes you..." She looked at Pitch, and I heard a slight giggle come from her, which was enough to get me to try to get a glance at Pitch. Once I had my eyes focused on him I almost chuckled to myself. Pitch's eyes were wide with shock, he was breathless, and speechless. He actually staggered back until his butt landed on a bench. "Are you alright?"

"I...no...I um...I...I'm a grandfather...you being his real mother would make me his real grandfather...I'm not like a grandfather to him...I am his grandfather and...Oh dear Moon...he...he almost died because I..." Pitch's eyes went wide, and tears started fallin' from his eyes as he quickly placed his face in his hands, and Pitch Black began to sob with shakin' shoulders.

Mother Nature sat down next to him on the bench and placed a hand on his back. "Hey..."

Pitch shot up immediately as if he was burned by her touch, and he looked at her with pleadin' eyes. "No...please, don't comfort me...I still regret so much...I can never ever hope to fix what I did to you. You...you told me...you said I was no longer your Father...and I...I regret hurting you to that extent so much more than you can imagine...but I could accept your words...it was your wish, but I...I almost killed...I...I almost killed Jack...my grandson..."

In the most fluid motion I had ever seen anyone move, Mother Nature shot up from the bench and wrapped her arms around Pitch with a fond smile and tears of her own slowly fallin'. "You've changed so much. I'm glad my son could bring you back to me...Father."

"F-Father!?" Pitch squeaked out, and buried his face into her shoulder as he continued to cry.

"Once I saw how Jack had changed you when he was just a human, I couldn't believe it, but it was truly his memories of you, and they were beautiful, and in those memories I saw my beloved Father, and the way you got us all working together to heal him...you're back...really back..."

She pulled away from the hug and wiped away her tears and Pitch did the same. "Is...everything alright?" Tooth asked as she flew over.

"Ah...yes...I apologize..." Mother Nature started. "Some things...have been revealed to my father and I as well as Bunny. We had a conversation with Manny...and...well..."

"Wait...you knew I could hear him talkin' to ya?"

"I can read minds, Dear Bunny, and Manny just so happens to speak telapathically so...you do the math, sweetie. Anyway, long story short...it turns out that due to the way I assisted Manny in bringing Jack Frost to life...I had accidentally given Jack some of my DNA, and when Manny creates a spirit who didn't originally have powers when turned into a spirit...he becomes their father so to speak...with all that...Jack is really my son. Not like a son, but really my son. Making, my father, his grandfather...and a very long time ago...during one of the first battles with him...I told him he was not my Father any longer...but Jack brought him back to me. Both Jacks did. The human one and the spirit one. So, I have my family back..."

"And I have my sweet Emily Jane again." Pitch stated fondly as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind Mother Nature's ear.

"W-Wait...Jack is actually related to you?" Tooth squeaked out the question almost at the same decibel her mini fairies talked.

"Yes, he is. Making him my Father's grandson."

"What about when he was Nightlight?" North questioned with wide eyes.

"Manny explained that one, and it wasn't the same...I'm really his mother...since I accidentally placed my DNA in him...it's like he was mine all along. Just like any other child who shares half of their parent's DNA...Jack has my half."

"Wow...so..."

"Oh! He's waking up! I can feel it! Let's go see if he's okay, and then I promise I will answer any and all questions."

"Very well." North huffed out with a glad smile.

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

The first to make it into the room were of course Pitch and Mother Nature, but we followed close behind. We watched as Jack began to stir awake. Mother Nature swiftly went to his side and brushed a gentle hand at his hair. "Jack, my sweet snowflake...wake up."

"Oh..." He groaned out as he slowly sat up. "...everything hurts...I feel like I was crumpled up into a ball by one of North's yetis."

"So...um...who do you think you are?" Mother Nature asked cautiously and we all patiently waited.

"Nightlight..." And at his words we all felt a chill runnin' down our spine, and sorrow fill our hearts until he continued to speak after a solid minute of silence. "...I'm Nightlight...and Jackson Overland Frost...and Jack Frost the spirit."

The relief and Hope that filled the room almost crushed me, but so did my own so I couldn't really complain. Then suddenly he got slapped upside the head lightly by Mother Nature. "You mean thing! You worried all of us...we thought we lost you..."

"I'm sorry, Mother. I didn't mean to upset you, I swear, but it was pretty funny. Plus, it wasn't like I was going to get another chance."

"Wait...Jack, let me see your eyes." Pitch requested and Jack did as he asked, and that's when I noticed it. Both of his eyes had three rings of color that blended almost flawlessly. On the outer rim was maple that blended into a beautiful shade of green, which effortlessly blended into an icy blue. "How is this possible?"

"Ah...well...while I was alone inside of my mind...and the darkness was gone...the three of us actually had a conversation. I got to meet Nightlight which was really cool, but he's a bit of shy person and doesn't talk much...and meeting my past self was weird...but we talked, and decided that neither of was wanted to give up being who we were. So, I selfishly suggested that since Manny made me a guardian less than a week ago, that perhaps I could inhabit the body with my powers in tact, but have their memories. They liked the idea and agreed without hesitation. It was interesting. So...now I'm all of them. I'm Jack Frost...with all of the memories from being Jackson and Nightlight. Oh, and Koz...don't worry...I'm not angry anymore...besides, it would do me no good since you've changed so much since I knew you as Nightlight, and Mother...you didn't have to slap me you know. That's one hell of a wake up to give someone who is like a son to you."

"Actually, you are my son. Really and truly. Manny said so. When we created you and I brought you back to life, I accidentally gave you some of my DNA, which caused you to be related to me and me to be your real Mother."

"You're...I have...I have a mother?" Jack questioned with tears threatenin' to fall.

"And a grandfather." Pitch stated with a joyful smile as he laid a gentle hand on Jack's shoulder.

"I...I have a family. I have a mother...a grandfather...Bunny is like a brother, Tooth is like a sister, and Sandy and North are like uncles...I have a family..."

"That you do." North stated with a single tear runnin' down his cheek. Meanwhile, Tooth and Sandy were lettin' their tears fall freely.

"I think this is cause for celebration!" Mother Nature shouted with happiness. "Oh...but after you are no longer in any pain of course."

"I would like that...Mother. The pain is mostly gone now thanks to the bed. Hey, Aster...you thinkin' where I'm thinkin' for the party?"

"You just can't get enough of that place can ya?"

"No, it's beautiful, and it's not like it's lacking room. The best part is, we can still take food and drinks there...use them...and once we leave...aside from our full bellies and tired muscles...it will be like we never took anything there if we should go back again."

"Alright, just don't trash the place."

Jack gave a loud fake gasp. "Aster, I am hurt, really."

"So...to the warren then?" North asked.

"No..." Jack and I both said at the same time. "...Someplace better."

"Mother Nature, do you mind providin' food?"

"Not at all, and North can bring the drinks as well."

"Good...everyone meet back here in half an hour...wait..." I looked up at the moon and smiled at him. "Is there anyway, ya can hover overhead for longer than usual?"

_"I think I can do that for the celebration of my son, as well as Pitch regaining his humanity and his family."_

"Thank you, old friend! Alright, places!"

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOo** _

"Alright Bunny, we have everything...now where on earth are you taking us?"

"Funny thing about that, mate. It ain't on Earth." As soon as I said that, Jack's room was surrounded in stars, and my planet appeared overhead.

"Bunny...is that..."

"Yes it is, Pitch, and you can thank your daughter for that. She knew it was important to Jack and important to me, and somehow she knew I would see it someday...and she recreated everythin' on my world...aside from the Pooka of course, but that'll be fine"

_"Aster...before you continue...I may have broken a very important rule to your kind...just for celebration sake...but I think you'll forgive me when you've seen what I've done...and before you get snappy with me when you find out...I didn't even know I could do it before I tried just a few moments ago."_

"What are ya talkin' about, Manny?"

 _"You'll see...I will meet you there. Well, sort of anyway."_  His moon beam shined on my planet and it was as if my planet absorbed it. Then, on the moon that was circlin' around my planet, there was faint glow.

"Huh...well...Jack, would you do the honors?"

"Wait...what's going on!?" North shouted in shock.

"Just wait..." Jack grinned at him, and then he touched my planet.

We were sucked into the planet and I watched as everyone's reactions went from shocked and confused to straight up flabbergasted awe. "B-Bunny...this is your home planet." North stated.

"Yeah it is, North and..." I was about to continue proudly when a familiar sent was brought to my nose. It made my heart ache, and I looked up at the moon. "M-Manny?" I hoarsely whispered out.

_"I went back and time before they were lost...right before you lost them. You will be able to take them back with you. I hope you're not too upset that I meddled with the past."_

"Y-You can't be serious. You..." My heart pounded harder and faster than it ever has in my entire life and tears began fallin' down my face like a waterfall as my breath was caught in my throat. I immediately began takin' off, ignorin' the sounds of my friends to ask me to wait up, but I couldn't. I knew that smell anywhere and the smell was outside my home. I could soon hear my friends followin' close behind me, but once I got close enough to my house and I saw what Manny had been talkin' about they had to actually come to a complete halt. I just stood there and stared. Feelin' completely overwhelmed by it all.

"Aster? What's wrong, love?"

"Li...Liliana!" I rushed towards her and hugged her tightly as I loudly sobbed into her fur, "Liliana! My sweet sweet Liliana Rose...You can't imagine h-how much I've missed you! I...I never thought...I never thought I would see you again! My sweet Liliana!"

She hummed in understandin' as she rubbed comfortin' circles on my back, and I could feel her smile against my own fur. "Manny told me what was to happen and asked if I would like to be with you in the future...I couldn't pass it up. Oh, sweet Aster..."

"Y-You're alive and..."

I looked at my friends behind me and they all looked shocked. Honestly they all looked like they were about to faint from seein' her, and I can't say that I didn't feel like doin' the same, but I was too overjoyed to do such a thing. Eventually it was Jack who stepped forward. "Aster...is this..."

"Yeah, Jack...this is the one I told you about. The one that was..." My eyes went wide as I looked at her belly. "You...are you still...?" I wiped away my tears in anticipation for her answer.

"Pregnant? Yes, very much so." She looked past me and her face went from joyful to horrified in a matter of seconds. "Aster isn't that..."

I looked to where her gaze was and there stood Pitch. "Ah...yeah, ya see...it's a long story and..."

"And your accent has changed..." She grinned at me sheepishly. "Continue..."

"A-And...well...he's gained his humanity back. He will no longer be evil...he is a dear friend now, I swear to you."

"Alright...if you say he is, then he is, but I want to hear all about it...perhaps during the celebration Manny promised."

"Of course! I will tell you anything you want to hear, my love. Come...let's set you down in your favorite chair...you and...oh my..." The tears started in full swing once again and I held her in my arms. "I'm gonna be a Father! I...I'm not the last one anymore...I...I have you, you're alive and...you're still pregnant...um...how are the triplets?"

"Triplets!?" I heard my friends shout other than Jack, of course, but I was completely focused on her.

"Here..." She said with that beautiful smile of hers as she grabbed my hand and placed it on her stomach. I waited about twenty seconds, before I felt them move, and one of them was a tough little bugger.

"They...they moved!"

"Yes...now...I believe you have a story to tell me, Aster, and you know how much I love your stories."

"Yes of course! Well...I had been on earth for such a long time...so I'll start with Jack's story about bein' named a guardian. Jack show them the kitchen please."

"No problem Aster." Jack beamed and the others still had shocked looks on their faces.

"Alright...so I'm gonna tell you the story as if I was tellin' the kits...is that okay?"

"I think that would be lovely." She told me as she sat down in the chair I had made for her.

"Okay...it's three days before Easter and..."

"No...start it like you always do!" She laughed out, and oh how I missed that laugh!

"Very well...Let me tell you a story..."

_**oOoOoOoOoOo** _

"...and now we're here! You're here!"

"My my...that is quite the story, and from the look in your eyes, all completely true."

"You know I could never lie to you, my sweet Liliana Rose."

"I know, you were always so terrible at it. Your ears would give everything away. They still do it seems. So, the boy you entrusted your name to...is Mother Nature's son...and Pitch's grandson?"

"Yup." I couldn't help the pounding in my chest. I quickly looked up at the moon and smiled at him. "I could never pay the debt I owe you, Manny...Thank you so much."

I didn't hear anythin' from him but I knew he was smilin' at us. Then, I heard Jack's familiar laughter. "Frost get back here with my sandwich!"

"No can do grandfather!" Jack shouted as he flew past Liliana and I...WITHOUT A STAFF!? "Blame Phil!"

"Slow down Jack!" I shouted in astonishment. "How are ya flyin' without your staff? Mother Nature said..."

"Oh...well...when I fused my souls together, I also gained some of Nightlight's natural abilities...like the ability to fly without the staff. I gave it to Mother Nature just as I snatched Pitch's delicious sandwich...which is mine now."

"Get down here!" I heard Pitch shout. "Emily, get your son to give me back my sand-which!"

"Father, why can't you just make another one?"

"Fine! Just don't take my new sandwich."

"I wish I could say no promises, but alright, I'll leave your precious food alone...for now."

"Aster, you've grown quite the family."

"No...Jack has. None of us got along, but he brought us all together. We owe so much to him...even before he was named guardian we never got along well...but after...after he was named guardian, everything changed for the better."

"Yes, and the story will continue for the rest of our lives. I was told I would be leaving with you."

"You are! Oh, and Liliana you will love the Warren!"

"I can't wait, but for now...let's enjoy the celebration." I followed her into the kitchen, and looked at all my friends...no...my family...and I don't think I had ever known such hope in my entire life, and I honestly hope it never ends.


End file.
